MOA signed to protect CICL, street dwellers
THE Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the city government of Davao recently signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) for the pilot implementation of the two programs in a bid to address the social protection of Children in Conflict with the Law (CICL) and the street dwellers who are at risk.
On August 17, these two programs dubbed as Buklod sa Paglaom para sa CICL or the Holistic Psychosocial and Economic (Hope) Intervention for CICL and the Comprehensive Program for Children and Families at Risk on the Streets were inked to provide children and their families better future.
This was conceptualized by the Social Technology Bureau (STB) of the DSWD.
The primary purpose of this program is to give a restorative justice for CICL by helping the child to change through rehabilitation programs, and have opportunities to become productive members of society rather than focusing on retribution.
DSWD Secretary Judy M. Taguiwalo, in a statement posted on the DSWD website, expressed her support for the implementation of these programs.
"CICL must be given all the assistance which government can provide to help them be rehabilitated and achieve a better future.
Oftentimes, these children are also victims of their circumstances," Taguiwalo said.
Secretary Taguiwalo underscored that the CICL should be taken cared and should not abandon considering their current situation.
"These CICL need guidance and not punishment that would traumatize them for the rest of their lives," she said.
Meanwhile, the DSWD on September to October 2015 conducted an assessment for street children/ street families in Davao City. It recorded a total of 374 children, 117 families and 169 individuals considered to be at risk on the street, which was attributed to the conceptualization of the Comprehensive Program for Children and Families at Risk on the Streets that is now on its pilot implementation.
Under this program, the street families/children in the city will be provided with various services to include the establishment of activity centers for children.
There are also group work sessions for children and their families and provisions of homelife supplies, hot meals, cash for work, livelihood assistance, and financial literacy, among others.
Thus, DSWD is hopeful that the families who consider the streets as their home will be given sufficient assistance to move them out of danger.
Taguiwalo also commended the effort of the city government of Davao for partnering with DSWD for its first implementation.
"DSWD is grateful to Davao City LGU for accepting these programs and for their commitment to care for the CICL and the street dwellers. Providing vulnerable sectors with social protection is the responsibility of the government," Taguiwalo said.
DSWD, with the cooperation of both local and national level, in partnership with the private sector must work hand in hand to ensure that the vulnerable sectors are catered through various government services.
DSWD will also assess the effectiveness of the two programs after one year of pilot testing and will eventually apply these in other LGUs nationwide by next year.