DSWD clarifies roles LGUs are first responders in reaching out to street kids

CEBU, Philippines - The Department of Social Welfare and Development-7 has clarified the role of the agency, the local government units and other stakeholders in reaching out to street children.

DSWD-7 director Ma. Evelyn Macapobre in a statement said that based on Republic Act 7160 or the Local Government Code of 1991, the LGUs have the primary responsibility in the delivery of health and welfare services and the implementation of programs and projects for children, primary health care, maternal and child care, among others.

Moreover, the role of the LGUs, through their City or Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office (C/MSWDO) is to be the first responders by leading in the reach out and profiling of street dwellers, based on the Protocol to Reach Out to Street Children published by the Council for the Welfare of Children.

“We have been receiving reports from the media and even in our official social media accounts regarding street children and we constantly forward this to the concerned LGU,” Macapobre said.

Macapobre added that as the frontline service provider of social welfare and development services, the LGUs are in the best position to know and address the needs of their people.

Aside from the C/MSWDO, other key offices are the Philippine National Police, City and Municipal Health Office, Barangay Council for the Protection of Children, as well as Non-Government Organizations or faith-based groups.

“The role of DSWD is to provide further technical assistance and capacity building to LGUs and other stakeholders in implementing programs and services for street children,” said Macapobre.

Last year, DSWD-7 replicated the Comprehensive Program for Street Children, Street Families and Indigenous Peoples, especially to Sama-Bajaus in Cebu City, in partnership with the Cebu City government through the Department of Social Welfare and Services, which was first implemented in the National Capital Region in 2011.

The program aims to develop income generating opportunities and skills training for children and their families to prevent them from working on the streets, create activity centers where they could have life skills trainings and literacy activities, and provide shelter assistance for them to permanently leave the streets and to eventually gain access to basic social services.

This is an ongoing project and is also being replicated to other highly-urbanized cities where there is high prevalence of street children and street families.

Macapobre emphasized that the government cannot do this crusade alone.

“We are appealing to all sectors in society, including the media and the general public, to contribute in addressing the problem of street dwellers,” Macapobre said.

“Along with the rest of the national government agencies in region 7, we, in DSWD recognize the urgency of responding to the situation of street children and street families affecting the urban areas here in the region,” added Macapobre.

The DSWD official made the clarifications on their roles following questions from netizens on social media. (FREEMAN)