DSWD uses Twitter to rescue street kids

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has started using the micro blogging site Twitter to rescue street children in Metro Manila.

Social Welfare Secretary Corazon Soliman launched yesterday the agency’s “I-Report Batang Lansangan sa Metro Manila.”

Soliman said the public can tweet any sighting of children begging or vending on the streets through its Twitter account @savestritchild to help rescue street children.

To tweet, the public can follow the format: save a streetchild/complete name of street or intersection/ nearest landmark/Metro Manila city.

“We normally respond within two hours and at the latest within eight hours. We will inform those who tweet us once we deploy our social workers to the area and about the status of the child/children reported to us,” Soliman said.

The DSWD secretary said they expect an increase in the number of children begging on the streets this Christmas season.

Soliman said the 10 areas with high concentration of street children in Metro Manila are Roxas Boulevard in Manila; Kalayaan Road, Barangay E. Rodriguez and Quezon Avenue in Quezon City; Balintawak area in Caloocan City; Roxas Boulevard in Pasay City; Greenhills, Ortigas in San Juan City; Kapasigan in Pasig City; Madrigal Avenue, Alabang in Muntinlupa City; and NAIA Road in Parañaque City.

She said the DSWD is working with local government units and non-government organizations in organizing gift-giving activities for the street children, which will start on Dec. 16.