Unlicensed care facility shut down

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has ordered the closure of an unlicensed care facility owned by a vlogger in San Pedro, Laguna.

The closure order came after personnel of the DSWD as well as barangay officials and law enforcers inspected the facility in Barangay Landayan on Thursday.

The DSWD said there were 12 people staying in the facility reportedly owned by Benjie Perillo, known as BenchTVm on social media.

The agency took custody of the people including two minors.

Others who had stayed in the facility are being monitored by the local government and will be reunited with their families.

“They have undergone medical assessments and comprehensive profiling to ensure proper case management,” DSWD spokesperson Irene Dumlao said.

Investigation showed that Perillo started sheltering homeless people in 2020, and has reunited some of them with their families.

The DSWD ordered Perillo to stop operating the shelter pending compliance with licensing requirements.