The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) taps Filipino netizens to help in reaching out street kids in Metro Manila through micro-blogging site Twitter.

The public may now inform the DSWD in real time 24/7 access about kids sleeping, loitering, begging or vending on the streets through its Twitter account @savestreetkids.

Launched in November 2012, the DSWD, in partnership with the Local Government Units (LGUs) provides social services to reported sighting of street children in major throughfares in the National Capital Region.

DSWD-NCR Regional Director Ma. Alicia S. Bonoan explained that reached-out street children and families are brought either to the DSWD, LGUs or NGO facilities for provision of support services and interventions.

“We also provide counseling to families who bring their children to the streets and endorse them to the concerned barangays for monitoring, to ensure the safety of their children,” Bonoan added.

To report street kids, simply tweet the complete name of street or intersection, the nearest landmark, name of city/municipality and the actual time when the street kids were sighted. The netizens will be updated on the status of their report as soon as reach-out activities have been conducted.

“We also maintain a databank of reached-out street kids and families for monitoring of their cases and for inclusion in the beneficiaries of DSWD’s Modified Conditional Cash Transfer Program for Homeless Street Families (MCCT-HSF),” continued Bonoan.

The Modified Conditional Cash Transfer for Homeless Street Families (MCCT-HSF) project expands the coverage of Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program by targeting the homeless street families who were not included in the regular Pantawid Pamilya Program because of their indefinite residence.

The project provides a complete package of assistance to the street families which includes safe and responsive housing assistance with access to social services and economic opportunities for the improvement of their living conditions, in addition to education and health grants.

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