THE Quick Response Team for Children's Concern (QRTCC-CSSDO) officer said Thursday that there is a reduced number of children referred to them for curfew violations every day.
QRTCC center head Minda Silvano said the number of children referred to them reduced from 20 to 30 last year, from zero to five children this year.
"Kung sa una magdala na sila. Abot jud ug 20-30, now naa na mi adlaw na wala na mi curfew violation (While before they bring some 20 to 30 kids, now there are days we don't have violators)," Silvano said.
Silvano said this reduction can be attributed to the awareness of children on the said ordinance.
"Naga-reduce kay medyo aware na ang mga bata nato, every now and then mahisgutan sa media ug sa community (The violations reduced since the chilren know about the curfew through the media and the community)," Silvano said.
Silvano said it can be zero referral because there are children who still come back to the streets and soon grow up to be family dwellers.
"But they prefer to be on the street even though how much we encourage them to stay on the shelter sa ilang background from their childhood wala sila na train na naay structure. So kung ibutang nimo sa center after minutes lang, biyaan naka nila (They were not trained to have structures. If you put them on centers, they will leave after few minutes)," Silvano said.
They also tried to provide homes just like the drop-in center but there are behavioral problems street dwellers prefer to be free from regulations imposed by lying-ins or centers.
"Dili jud na mazero naa jud mi difficulty despite na open ang atong shelter, mao lagi ilang upbringing dili pwede overnight change (We can't change their upbringing overnight)," Silvano said.
Silvano said that a team effort by police, social workers and barangay officials should be done to lessen the number of street dwellers.
Silvano also suggested that there should be more laws and ordinances on street dwelling because anti-mendicancy law is obsolete.