PASAY aims to remove children working for begging syndicates in the streets before the Pope’s visit later this month, a city official said Friday.
Pasay Social Welfare Department head Rosalinda Orobia told the ManilaStandard the move would prevent the syndicates from taking advantage of the papal visit.
“They know the Pope cares about poor kids, and they will take advantage of that,” Orobia said of the syndicates.
Orobia said the city government has been conducting regular operations to weed out syndicates from legitimate groups providing shelter to children who were abandoned by their parents and were begging in the streets.
The city has also been rescuing street children from apartments used to house them, and visiting areas where the syndicates drop them off to beg.
“The children that we have rescued will be sent to our center for interrogation,” she said.
Orbia said the syndicates are well organized and even abduct children to beg or sell on the steets.
The children are given shelter and food in exchange for the money that they earn from begging or selling flowers.
“Children of the street are the target victims because nobody cares for them, and because they’re scared or hungry, they go along,” she said.
Among those rescued this year was a 5-year-old, she said.
“Almost every week we are conducting our rescue operations along with the local police,” Orbia said.
In some cases, she added, the children who are rescued are pregnant or were victims of abuse.
The Social Welfare and Development Dpartment has programs to shelter the homeless children, and provide them livelihood and skills training, she said.
But the government must also do something to stop the syndicates, she said.
“We cannot do alone. We need the full cooperation of the PNP, local police and all barangays in Pasay to arrest those syndicates,” she said.
A Palace spokesman said President Benigno Aquino III was ready to discuss corruption with the Pope.
“The Pope’s previous public announcements on corruption can serve as basis in answering that question. It has been publicized that the Holy Father is taking action against corruption in institutions under the supervision of the Vatican. Also, he is sympathetic to the poor and has made his position on capitalism very clear,” said Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma.
“On the other hand, the Aquino administration has always worked toward achieving inclusive growth to ensure that no one is left behind. Perhaps it is along this line that there is a similarity in theme – on the aspect of poverty reduction or anti-corruption and the righteous path.”
“And because the Holy Father is the head of the Catholic Church, we can expect him to say something on what should be the right action and frame of mind for the faithful,” Coloma added.
He said the President is always ready to discuss any relevant topic, including corruption.
But Coloma said it will be “purely speculative” to assume that the issue of corruption would actually be on the agenda during the meeting at the Palace on Jan. 16.
“Perhaps what we can consider is their educational background. Products of the Jesuit system of education have a strong orientation for serving other people or for being a person for others. That might be a theme for their discussion,” he said.
After the Pope’s meeting with Aquino, he will hold Mass at the Manila Cathedral.
On Jan. 17, Pope Francis is scheduled to meet with Yolanda survivors in Tacloban City.