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Sunday, November 06, 2005
Councilor hailed plan to keep street kids on tourism forum
By Barbara Carla R. Quiero
DAVAO City Councilor April Marie Dayap hailed the City Government's assurance that there would not be any of those mass round-up of street children to cleanse the city of eyesores during the Asean Tourism Forum (ATF) in January next year.
In an interview Thursday, Dayap said it could be more helpful to Davao City if these foreign visitors would see the street children in the city.
"Malay nimo, naa diay sila'y mga programs for the kids na mas makatabang sa ilaha (street children)," Dayap said.
City Administrator Wendel A. Avisado earlier said the city would not consider street children eyesores as it prepares the city for this major tourism event.
While they would not be swept off the streets as has been the practice in the national capital region when major international events are held, the children would be enticed off the street with food and activities in temporary shelters run by government agencies.
"Like the Balay Dangupan for their needs to be given," the city administrator said.
Avisado stressed that street children are but victims of a social malady and that their roaming on the streets should not be regarded as an eyesore.
Meanwhile, Councilor Angela Librado-Trinidad said the city already has a program to rescue street children, which is under the City Social Services and Development Office.
"Dapat regular atong gobyerno niana (program). Dili tungod kay gi tan-aw siya nga pangit tan-awun sa ATF, pero atong tan-aw obligasyon siya ng siyudad. May ATF man o wala, kani ilang obligasyon," Trinidad in an interview said.
In fact since there is a need to fund the preparation of the city's hosting of the ATF, then the more the city should allocate a bigger amount of fund for the children living in the streets, added Trinidad.
"Basin nagkulang pata diha sa paghimo ug programs nga maka sustain sa atong street children," she said.
Trinidad added that most of the street children that they have talked to after being rescued, wants to get out of the centers because they prefer life in the streets.
She said there might be something wrong that has to be developed and improvised.
For Bisaya stories from Davao. Click here. (November 6, 2005 issue)
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