The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has started the rescue of indigenous peoples (IPs) roaming the streets of Metro Manila to beg for food or money, especially during the days leading up to the Christmas holidays.
This was announced by Secretary Erwin Tulfo during the flag-raising ceremony at the DSWD Central Office in Quezon City on Monday, Nov. 21.
“We have started our rescue operations of our indigenous people (IP), such as the Badjaos and Aetas here in Metro Manila and soon in other big cities in our country. We are sending them home but not without taking care of their problems, which is their livelihood,” Tulfo said.
“I have instructed Undersecretary Denise Bragas of our Standard and Capacity Building Group to give P10,000 to each IP family rescued as our intervention to somewhat alleviate them from poverty. And we do not stop there. We will go to their communities to see how our agency can solve their problems and give their children a brighter future,” he added.
Tulfo said that the DSWD, in coordination with local government units, will also rescue street children in the coming days.
“Our next mission is to save the street children with the help of every local government unit to ensure that these poor minors are taken out of the streets and put them in classrooms and proper shelters,” he said.
“I know that these are gargantuan task. But we have to start somewhere, somehow, to give these young people a fair share of a brighter future,” he added.