Saturday, December 23, 2006
City warns parents of young street carolers
By Roberto L. Bacasong
THE Department of Social Services and Development (DSSD) has appealed to parents of mendicant minors to keep their children off the streets these holidays.
Virgie Castidad, head of the Task Force Mendicancy, said that children flood the streets during Christmas season, singing carols in exchange for money.
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At 6 p.m., the streets along BS Aquino Drive, Rizal-Lacson, Rizal-Locsin and Luzuriaga St., among others, are filled with children and their musical instrument ready to sing and to ask for alms.
"Most of the time, it is the children's will to roam the streets and ask for money but this is dangerous and risky," Castidad said, adding that "Parents must be responsible in overseeing their children," Castidad said.
Anti-mendicancy
Meanwhile, Castidad said the City's Anti-Mendicancy Task Force has already apprehended several mendicants including "Badjaos" and the disabled.
"The City is not tolerating mendicants. Those arrested were sent back to their respective places," she added.
The task force mendicancy is composed by the DSSD, Office of the Sectoral Concerns and the Bacolod City Police Office.
(December 23, 2006 issue)
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