The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), through its Field Office VII, led the conduct of the Inter-Agency Services and Information Caravan for Children, Families, and Indigenous Peoples in Street Situations on Wednesday, December 21 at the Hoops Dome in Lapu-Lapu City.

As part of the government’s effort to address the hazardous situations on the streets, various government agencies and non-government organizations gathered to provide programs and services directly to street dwellers, including the Indigenous Peoples.

“Ang araw na ito ay simbolo ng pag-asa at pagmamahal ngayong papalapit na kapaskuhan na bunga ng pagkakaisa at pagtutulungan ng mga ibat ibang sangay ng ating pamahalaan” (This day is a symbol of hope and love this Holiday Season through the unity and cooperation of the various government agencies), Undersecretary for Social Welfare and Development Sally P. Navarro said.

Some 200 children and 400 family heads were assisted during the caravan. They received hygiene kits, homelife kits, Noche Buena packs, educational and livelihood assistance, as well as school kit. They also availed of medical and dental checkups, vaccination, national ID registration, hair grooming, and participated in the jobs fair.

In addition, 41 Ati Children from the City of Naga received their birth certificates while the birth registration of 57 Sama-Bajau children from Alaska, Mambaling, Cebu City was facilitated.

The agencies that heeded the call of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr to bring the government closer to the vulnerable sectors are the Department of Health, Department of Labor and Employment, Department of Education, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, National Commission on Indigenous Peoples, Commission on Population, Armed Forces of the Philippines, and the Philippine Statistics Authority.

The DSWD vowed to collaborate with various agencies and organizations to help vulnerable families support the needs of their children so that they will not resort to begging. ###