SOME 36 street children and adults were rounded up during an operation conducted jointly by the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) and the City Hall Community Police Action Center (Compac) in line with Zamboanga City’s program to provide immediate and long-term solutions to vagrants roaming city streets.
CSWDO Chief Socorro Rojas said Thursday, January 6, that those rounded up were mendicants, psychotic vagrants, solvent sniffers, illegal ambulant vendors and street families.
Rojas said they were brought to the Center for Mendicants in Culianan village.
Of the 36 rescued, 29 were adults while seven were minors, according to Rojas.
The operation to round up vagrants was spearheaded by City Administrator Michael Saavedra and the office of Rojas.
The CSWDO personnel conducted assessment and intake interview to the rounded-up clients, provided temporary shelter, counseling, home-life and social services.
Rojas said some were reintegrated to immediate families and relatives after assessment of the social workers and provided with community services.
The rest were referred to agencies for other assistance, she added. (SunStar Zamboanga)