ANGELES CITY, Pampanga—Authorities have rescued 50 street children including nine girls mostly abandoned by their parents and stowaways in Barangay Balibago, the entertainment hub on the province.
Barangay Balibago Chairman Rodelio “Tony” Mamac said the minors ages 8 to 16 were found wandering along McArthur Highway-Rotonda, Marlim Avenue and Fields Avenue with some sleeping on the concrete.
“We want these children to be reformed, reunited with their parents and go back to school as what other kids enjoys in our society,” he said.
“We are planning to have kids in a shelter being supervised by social workers.”
Mamac said family members have begun counselling in partnership with the City Social Welfare and Development Office.
“Parents are educated of their responsibilities and legal action they will be facing for tolerating and allowing their children to live on the streets.”
Some children have been allegedly involved in various crimes such as pick-pocketing, snatching and even hooked of rugby and acetone, he said.
“They have integrated in a wrong society that is why we prepare a program (and) being them back to landas na mabuti (on the right way),” Mamac said.
At the Balibago halfway house, the children joined social welfare staff to watch Pope Francis on Sunday at the University of Santo Tomas in Manila in his meeting with two former streetchildren who shared with him how caring advocates helped them to improve their lives.