440 DSWD children perform for Pope Francis' send-off

MANILA, Philippines - A number of 440 disadvantaged children under the care of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) performed song and dance numbers as part of the send-off activity for Pope Francis at the Villamor Air Base in Pasay City on Monday morning.

According to DSWD Secretary Corazon "Dinky" Soliman, the children participants were rescued from the streets and is currently being taken care of in the department's centers.

The children felt inspired that they would have a chance to see Pope Francis, Soliman said.

Some of the children, who were abandoned and abused, are undergoing rehabilitation.

Soliman said that 175 children are beneficiaries of the Modified Conditional Cash Transfer.

“These programs are giving the children more 'fighting chance' to break the inter-generational (repetitive) cycle of poverty,” Soliman said in an interview with the Philippines News Agency.

Soliman added that the department has conducted consultations with various sectors on how to address the sitution of street children and families.

The DSWD chief hopes that with the visit of Pope Francis, more affluent people would be encouraged to work with the DSWD and the government help the disadvantaged sector of the country.

The are may ways to help and support street children and the disadvantaged sectors, through proper channeling of resources and assistance, Soliman noted.

Soliman noted that the two former street children who read their messages in front of Pope Francis during the youth encounter at the University of Santo Tomas last Sunday is the same voice that she hears from the children that the DSWD serves and rescues everyday.

Glyzelle Iris Palomar, 12, one of the two former street children, wept while asking the Pope why children had to suffer.

Pope Francis answered, "We need to ask ourselves, have we learned how to weep, how to cry, for somebody left to one side, for someone who has a drug problem?"

"If you don't learn how to cry, you can't be good Christians. This is a challenge," the Pope added.

RELATED: Pope Francis tells Filipino youth: Learn how to weep