Caloocan mayor orders rescue of street kids living in cemeteries

October 23, 2010
by Caloocan Community Member

MANILA, Oct. 23 – With eight days left before the annual All Saints' Day commemoration, Caloocan Mayor Enrico “Recom” Echiverri has instructed the city’s social welfare and traffic management department to intensify its rescue operations against street children living in public cemeteries.

In the same vein, Echiverri also instructed the city social welfare department (CCSWD) to house all street children found at the Sangandaan, Tala and Bagumbong cemeteries in two of the city’s welfare centers for rehabilitation, treatment and education.

Echiverri was referring to Caloocan’s “Tahanang Mapagpala Social Adjustment Center” which is exclusively used for caring male street kids, and “Tahanang Mapagkalinga Social Development Center” which is used for housing female street children.

Both facilities are operated and managed by the CCSWD and are located in Barangay 171, Bagumbong, Caloocan.

The Caloocan mayor issued this order after several concerned residents reported that street urchins are using public cemeteries as their sanctuaries or hideouts. . Likewise, Echiverri also ordered the Caloocan City Police Station and Reformed Public Safety and Traffic Management Department to intensify their patrol and monitoring operations in all public cemeteries in the city to prevent the return of the rescued street children.