CSWDO rounds up mendicants, psychos in Zambo streets
CSWDO rounds up mendicants, psychos in Zambo streets
Sunday, August 05 2007 @ 11:53 AM BST
Social
The local government pursues its rescue in intersections and major streets downtown in a bid to rid the streets of mendicants and street children.
City Social Welfare and Development Officer (CSWDO) Francisco Barredo, whose office is in charge of undertaking the operations, said the campaign is to eventually send the mendicants and street children home and train them to be productive and useful citizens in the future. Also included in the rescue operation, which started early last week, are the psychotics who lurk the streets.
Most of them reportedly don’t have families here since they are not from this city. Barredo said the effort is a continuing program of the local government aimed to clear the streets of beggars and street kids, rugby boys and psychotic vagrants as well as to look into possible assistance to make them self reliant and productive.
The psychotics rounded up by the CSWDO team are being referred to the ward 9 of the Zamboanga City Medical Center (ZCMC) where they can be provided with appropriate medical services and attention.
Barredo said the elderly mendicants are referred to the Home for the Elderly in Talon-talon while the others are endorsed to the chairman of the village or barangay where they originated from.
Barredo said it is expected that the mendicants will be provided with possible assistance in terms of livelihood trainings while in the custody of the barangay chairman.
At least 42 mendicants, psychotic vagrants and street kids were rescued by the CSWDO team in coordination with the police, the traffic aides, City Administrator’s office and representatives from other agencies since last week.
Barredo said the rescue operation will be a regular activity of his office with the support of other agencies.
The traffic aides have also been tasked to discourage beggars and street urchins from the city streets. (PNA)
