Nothing wrong with ‘family sessions’ for homeless – Palace

MANILA, Philippines - Malacañang sees nothing wrong if homeless people in Metro Manila will be treated to “family sessions” during the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders’ Summit next month.

Family sessions were part of the assistance given to the homeless while their permanent housing are being arranged, deputy presidential spokesman Abigail Valte said over dzRB yesterday.

Valte said street dwellers could not be allowed to wander and expose themselves to various elements and risks while the government is looking for permanent shelter for them.

Kabataan party-list Rep. Terry Ridon had said the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) plans to “hide the homeless” again in resorts during the APEC summit in November. 

Ridon said he asked the representative of the DSWD during a recent budget hearing if the department would repeat its “vanishing act” for the homeless, referring to around 100 homeless people on Roxas Boulevard brought to Chateau Royal Batangas under the DSWD’s “modified conditional cash transfer program” during Pope Francis’ five-day visit in January.

Valte said the program has been ongoing even before Pope Francis’ visit.

She said the DSWD could present data to prove such family sessions were done not only when there are foreign visitors.

“After the papal visit the DSWD reported about it…if you just keep tabs on them, you would see what the DSWD is doing under the program,” Valte said.

Valte reiterated the government’s call for Metro Manila residents to go on vacation if not stay home during the declared holidays when the APEC summit is ongoing.

She said the meetings of APEC leaders would entail a lot of security measures  that might inconvenience the public.

“Since there will be a long vacation, perhaps you can take advantage of this to visit places outside of Metro Manila. We have a lot of beautiful tourist spots outside of the metro, those nearby, or maybe...just stay home...avoid places where there will be security preparations,” Valte said.