Since Manila’s Reception and Action Center (RAC) is currently closed while undergoing rehabilitation to comply with standards of said facility, the government now assess reached out families from the streets by said LGU at Manila Boystown located in Parang, Marikina.

As of November 17, 2015, 24 families or 250 individuals were assessed in Manila boystown wherein 10 families were found eligible and immediately registered to DSWD’s Modified Conditional Cash Transfer for Homeless Street Families (MCCT-HSF).

In partnership with local government of Manila, the Department of Social Welfare and Development – National Capital Region (DSWD-NCR) has also provided livelihood to 75 individuals under the cash-for-work (CFW) scheme while said families were being assessed in the center.

As part of their job, individuals under the CFW help in maintaining the cleanliness of the facility and its surroundings which prevents them from acquiring dengue and/or other related diseases that can be obtained from an untidy environment.

Said employees are earning 75% of the actual of minimum wage in Metro Manila which amounts to PhP 360.75 per day while performing their task in the center.

Meanwhile, as requested by Manila Social Welfare Department (MSWD), DSWD-NCR also provided family food packs which were distributed recently as augmentation to the LGU’s regular reach out operation in addressing prevalence of street dwellings.

While the MSWD is still looking for prospective alternative family home (AFH) for the newly registered MCCT-HSF beneficiaries, reached out families will stay in Manila Boystown while some who decided to go back to their respective provinces will be provided with transportation assistance under the “Balik Probinsya” service.

All LGUs in Metro Manila regularly conduct reach out operation for street dwellers as first responder to the needs of their constituents as mandated under the law.###