Manila rounds up street dwellers

MANILA, Philippines — The Manila city hall has rounded up dozens of homeless people, including street children and vendors along Roxas Boulevard and adjacent roads ahead of the 31st Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit this month.

Mayor Joseph Estrada clarified yesterday that the clearing operations were a continuing effort to rescue street dwellers and not just part of preparations for the visiting Asean leaders.

Estrada said the operation was led by the Manila Department of Social Welfare (MDSW) in coordination with the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, Manila Police District and other city hall offices.

“We’ve been doing this because we want homeless children taken off the streets, where they are vulnerable to accidents and crimes. We’re just protecting them,” the mayor said.

Although he is not against illegal vendors, Estrada said major thoroughfares such as Roxas Boulevard must, at all times, be cleared of traffic obstructions.

MDSW rescue team leader Lindsay Javier said the operations netted 48 street dwellers and 10 ambulant vendors on Oct. 26.

Javier said city hall personnel confiscated two kuliglig (motorized pedicabs) and six pedicabs, which the vendors used as their makeshift homes.

Three bicycles were also seized from a group of  “solvent boys,” she said.

The rescue units started the rescue and clearing operations from the city hall, sweeping Kalaw Avenue up to the US embassy and Baywalk along Roxas Boulevard, all the way to the Cultural Center of the Philippines along Vito Cruz and Taft Avenue.

“This is a massive clearing operation targeting not only vagrants but also illegal vendors,” MDSW chief Nanet Tanyag said.

Of the 48 rescued street dwellers, 29 children were turned over to the city-run Manila Boystown Complex in Marikina.

Tanyag said the children would be enrolled at the Fugoso Integrated School, which offers Alternative Learning System for free.

The adults underwent background check by the police to determine if they have criminal records.

MDSW personnel have rounded up more than 4,000 individuals from the streets since February this year.