MANILA – The Philippines has denied Saturday international media reports that street children had been rounded up a by authorities to make Manila presentable for Pope Francis’ visit.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development said it conducted an investigation in Pasay Jail, Pasay Youth Home, and Pasay Police Station following reports of a United Kingdom tabloid and the South China Morning Post that there were street children who are being detained with adult criminals in an effort to clean the streets for the Papal visit. (See Street children detained to clear way for Pope Francis’ Manila visit – SCMP http://www.mindanaoexaminer.com/news.php?news_id=20150116232139)
Corazon Soliman, the DSWD Secretary, said the investigation yielded negative results. She said social workers even went inside jails and centers, but found nothing.
In Paranaque City, which was also mentioned in the reports, about two dozen minors are in currently staying at the Bahay Pag-Asa, a rehabilitation for youth.
“I would like to reiterate that we do not jail children. We jail abusers,” Soliman said.
She said that a multi-agency task force composed of DSWD, local governments and non-governmental organizations, including the police conduct a weekly reach-out to street children and are taken into the local social welfare office where they are assessed, profiled, and provided with proper interventions such as feeding and temporary shelter.
She also said that aside from the reach-out program, DSWD also implements the Comprehensive Program for Street Children which offers a package of services, that includes education for the children and livelihood for their parents, and the Modified Conditional Cash Transfer Program which gives them cash assistance for their school and health needs, as well as for house rental. (Mindanao Examiner)
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