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Homeless sent away from Roxas Boulevard during Pope’s visit


When Pope Francis came to the Philippines to comfort the poor, he may not have had the chance to meet these street dwellers in Manila, as they were driven away from Roxas Boulevard—one of the roads used for his motorcades.
 
One of the street dwellers, Onyok, was told to leave the area during the Pope's five-day visit but returned after the Pope left, GMA News' Maki Pulido reported on "24 Oras."
 
"Dahil po pangit sa pananaw, nakakaistorbo tapos baka raw may sniper, madisgrasya si Pope. Sinunod na lang po namin ag order nila," he told Pulido, who had interviewed him earlier for another program, "Repoters Notebook."
 
Onyok had been staying in a makeshift boat near Manila Bay, with his wife and two children.
 
The report said the Philippine Coast Guard towed Onyok's boat and brought it to the Manila Yacht Club, but Onyok said the boat was destroyed. 
 
"Hindi Ma'am. Kasi sabi namin sa kanila, kami ang naglagay riyan, diyan muna for the meantime," said a Coast Guard representative when asked if the Coast Guard destroyed the boat.
 
Pulido said that when the news team went to the Manila Yacht Club, she and her crew were not allowed to enter.
 
From the MYC guardhouse, she said she managed to talk via phone to a person claiming to be the manager, who said they did not know what happened to Onyok's balsa.
 
She said they asked the MYC to at least return the materials used to build Onyok's boat, but the MYC said it will still discuss the matter.
 
Even before the pope's arrival, social media had been abuzz with stories of streetchildren being rounded up from the streets and brought to the Reception and Action Center in Manila.


 
At the gate, one of the children at the RAC asked for help. The child said he wanted to go home to San Roque.
 
When asked why he was rounded up, the child was about to answer when a DSWD guard tried to pull him away.
 
"Hatid mo na ako, nami-miss ko na ang mama ko... Laging nabubugbog dito po," the child said.
 
But the Manila social welfare office denied rounding up street children because of the papal visit.
 
"Wala po kaming tinago. Wala po kaming iginagapos. Wala po kaming inilagay sa kulungan nung panahon po ng pagdalaw ng Santo Papa rito," said Sheila Pangan of the Manila Social Welfare Office.
 
When the GMA News crew showed the video of the child at the RAC seeking help to DSWD secretary Corazon Soliman, she said the center had been beset with problems, and that they may close it.
 
The DSWD also said it would look into the incident. DSWD Metro Manila field office Alice Bonoan will head the probe.
 
Meanwhile, the child has been returned to his family in San Roque, Pandacan. The DSWD will visit him to ensure he and his family are doing well. —Joel Locsin/NB, GMA News
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