LGUs urged: Strengthen action vs street dwelling

CEBU, Philippines - The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) 7 is calling on local governments to strengthen its efforts in addressing the long-standing concern involving street dwellers, composed of both adults and children.

Children’s Welfare Specialist Emma Patalinghug said efforts would have to cascade down to the barangay level to address the problem effectively.

“The local government unit is the main concerned that has to address this concern. They have to strengthen the Barangay Council for the Protection of Women and Children especially that the city eyes the Child Friendly Award,” Patalinghug said.

She said DSWD Central Visayas has been in coordination with task forces on street children from Cebu City and Mandaue City, but admits the agency’s representatives have not attended planning sessions with the LGUs because efforts and resources had to be rerouted to responses to the two calamities that struck Central Visayas late last year – the magnitude 7.2 earthquake and super typhoon Yolanda.

The planning sessions were supposed to identify action plans in eradicating street dwelling in general and mendicancy in particular.

Despite this, Cebu City has opened its drop-in center for homeless children in Barangay Parian, which Patalinghug lauded.

“The city has drop in centers like the one in Parian which is open for 24 hours. It is also a processing center where these children are given shelter, food and education,” she said.

She also recognized the social workers at the Redemptorist parish who took on the challenge of addressing vagrants in their vicinity. Other areas nearby, however, still need to be looked into like General Maxilom Avenue and Barangay Capitol Site.

Patalinghug said effective action plans to take kids off the streets may even bring for the LGU the Child Friendly City award. –/JMO (FREEMAN)