The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) treats some 1,500 street children from 17 local government units in Metro Manila through its Pasko ng Batang Pinoy Project, held yesterday (December 19) in two venues, San Andres Sports Complex in Malate and at Malacañang Palace grounds.
The event at San Andres Sports Complex was filled with fun, games, foods and entertainment. Children participants also showcased their talents in a friendly singing and dancing competition.
In the afternoon, President Benigno C. Aquino and DSWD Secretary Corazon Juliano-Soliman, together with other cabinet secretaries welcomed the children participants at Malacañang Palace grounds.
President Aquino, with his cabinet secretaries personally distributed the Noche Buena packs and bags of school supplies to the 1,500 street children as their ‘pamasko’ from the President.
The President was also joined by the street children in the ceremonial lighting of the Malacanang Palace Christmas tree.
Meanwile, Secretary Soliman led the awarding of prizes to winners in singing, dancing, and parol and belen making contest. Winners received cash prizes which shall be used to augment the funds in the implementation of activities in activity centers.
DSWD-NCR Regional Director, Ma. Alicia S. Bonoan said that this annual event is one of the alternative activities that DSWD implements for street children in Metro Manila to prevent them from carolling and begging along major thoroughfares and roads.
Under the Paskuhan ng Batang Pinoy Project, street children participate in various developmental activities such as singing, dancing, theatre arts, arts and crafts, belen and parol making, among others. These activities are conducted in LGU or NGO designated activity centers.
DSWD also provides hot meals to these street children while they are in activity centers. “We encourage volunteers and partners to assist us in the implementation of this project by facilitating developmental activities and by provision of support services to street children to keep them off the streets,” said Bonoan.
Bonoan added that the Pasko ng Batang Pinoy Project is part of DSWD’s comprehensive program for street children, street families especially Bajaus that provided complete package of social protection services for immediate relief of their condition.
The comprehensive program offers balik-probinsya assistance to families and individual adults, educational and food assistance to in-school street children and Bajaus, livelihood assistance and cash for work.
It also offers incentives to the Barangay Council for the Protection of Children (BCPC) in acknowledgment of their efforts to lessen the incidence of street dwellers and children in their area of jurisdiction and in maximizing barangay support to the address concerns on street children and dwellers. ###