Barredo said Oplan Kalayaan is a strengthened version of the ongoing campaign to clear the streets of street children, rugby-sniffing boys and beggars. It is undertaken in coordination with members of the Local Council for the Protection of Children (LCPC).
"The campaign is the focus of Mayor Celso Lobregat and Vice Mayor Beng Climaco and we are intensifying it now," Barredo said.
Vice Mayor Climaco earlier convened different government and non-government agencies, based on instructions from Mayor Lobregat, to come up with measures on how to solve the persisting mendicancy problem.
The operation, Barredo said, involves the rescue of street children and beggars from the streets after which they are assessed, given a 3-day session that includes the provision of livelihood activities and other measures purposely to discourage them from returning to the streets.
As a new strategy, Barredo said, the city is tapping the Barangay Council for the Protection of Children (BCPC) to ensure a more sustained and well-coordinated campaign.
Last Thursday, Barredo's group rescued over a hundred beggars, mendicants, rugby-sniffing kids, and mentally deranged individuals roaming the streets.
As part of the intensified campaign, the rescued street urchins underwent a three-day seminar during which they were assessed to determine if they should be sent to the Care centers, sent back to their places of origin, or provided with livelihood opportunities and other interventions. (SE)
