A SOCIAL welfare officer is reminding all local government units (LGUs) in Cebu to strictly implement the Anti-Mendicancy Law as the Christmas season nears and the number of street families begging for alms is expected to rise.
Anthony Arsenal, planning officer III of the Department of Social Welfare and Development in Central Visayas (DSWD-7), noticed that street families, including the Badjaos, are now becoming more visible.
“Before, there was implementation (of Anti-Mendicancy Law) karon nawala man,” Arsenal told reporters.
Cebu City Social Welfare Services (CSWS) chief Lea Japson said they still have to activate the anti-medicancy board in coordination with the police as part of the transition period.
“We are working on this, and we also want to teach violators a lesson and file a case against them,” Japson told Cebu Daily News.
The street families in Cebu City can be found near Redemptorist Church, Baseline (Mango Avenue) and along the skywalk near Robinsons Fuente.
Japson admitted that there is no enough facility to hold these street families that will be included in the roundups.
Japson also discouraged on feeding these street families that are included in the roundup because it will give them more reason to stay on the streets and beg.
“Instead, livelihood will be given as part of the component. The problem is if imong hatagan sad og trabaho kay mag tapulan and kapoyan,” she added.
Meanwhile, DSWD-7 also reminds the Cebu City Social Welfare Services to give them updates on the pilot testing that was conducted in 2015 on the Comprehensive Program for Children and Families at Risk.
A P3-million budget was allocated for the program to capacitate affected street families. This include livelihood programs for them. Cebu City was chosen for pilot-testing area.
Japson said that the Cebu City Commission for the Welfare and Protection of Children (CCWPC) is doing the follow-up report.
Arsenal explained that there have been 500 children and 300 families that have been covered with the program.
“Hopefully, if this program really suits, then it can be a regular program in the city,” he added.