Soliman: DSWD helping street dwellers since 2013, not only because of APEC

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) on Monday denied that it is "hiding" street dwellers in Manila for the upcoming Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders' Meeting (AELM) on November 18 to 19 where 21 world leaders are expected to convene.

 

"Wala ho kaming espesyal na ginagawa para po sa pagdating ng mga bisita. Magmula po noong 2013, kami po ay nagrerehistro ng mga homeless street families sa modified conditional cash transfer (MCCT)," DSWD Secretary Dinky Soliman said in an interview with Howie Severino on GMA News TV's "News To Go" on Monday morning.

 

MCCT is a program of the DSWD that focuses on homeless families and indigenous peoples.

 

Soliman said that the DSWD has registered 4,000 families since 2013 for the MCCT program. In fact, a hundred families were already given orientation last January, which coincided with the papal visit.

 

"Iyong 75 na iyan, may bahay na po, may hanapbuhay. At iyong 25 ay umuwi iyong kalahati sa probinsiya at iyong kalahati bumalik sa resettlement site. Ngayong mga araw po na ito, tuloy-tuloy po ang pagrehistro namin sa homeless families," she added.

 

She also pointed out that the DSWD would not be able to register 4,000 families to the program if they only started reaching out to street dwellers just a few months ago. 

 

"Hindi ho namin sinimulan ngayon lang," she stressed. 

 

She also said that the families they are helping are living in dangerous areas such as near the seawall of Roxas Boulevard.

 

"Iyong napapabalita na pinapaalis namin sila sa Roxas Boulevard... Alam ho ninyo, iyong Roxas Boulevard, nakatira po sila sa kabila ng seawall. At iyon ang aming inaasahan na namatulungan sila at madala sila sa ligtas na lugar," Soliman added. 

 

 

The DSWD secretary also belied reports received by Auxiliary Bishop of Manila Bishop Broderick Pabillo that the agency was handing out P4,000 to homeless families. 

 

"Hindi po totoo iyon. Maaari iyong DSWD Manila na wala sa ilalim ng puder ng national ang nakikipag-usap sa kanila," she said.

 

"Ang alam ko pong P4,000 ino-offer, ay P4,000 po ang halaga ng aming nirerenta na bahay para sa marehistro sa MCCT pero iyon po hindi binibigay sa mga pamilya. Binibigay po iyan diretso doon po sa may-ari ng bahay na uupahan," Soliman added. 

 

She also said that local government units have different efforts to manage street dwellers. Nonetheless, DSWD is open to work with the different city social welfare and development officers to help them enroll homeless families in the MCCT program.  

 

"Ito po ay ongoing for the whole year at hindi lang dahil may APEC," she added. —Trisha Macas/ALG, GMA News