DSWD admits there are not enough facilities to keep minor idlers

June 27, 2018

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) admitted on Wednesday it has no sufficient facilities to keep minors, who will be accosted loitering on the streets, in the wake of President Rodrigo Duterte's order against "tambays." In a press briefing in Malacanang, DSWD Acting Secretary Virginia Orogo said the department is  running 72 centers, but some are being occupied by senior citizens. She said there is ongoing repair of the centers and the government is adding 50 more bed capacity in each center. "We can't place all (the accosted children) in our centers because we have limited centers," she said. Orogo said the DSWD will be launching a new program called as "Silungan ng Barangay (Barangay Shelter)." "This is a program that we will need the help of every individual in barangay," Orogo said. With over 42,000 villages nationwide, she expressed hope that in each of those barangays, there will be a Bahay Silungan. Duterte earlier ordered police to "arrest" minors who are below 18 years old and are loitering on the streets at night time. He tasked the DSWD and the barangays to take custody of those who would be "arrested." Celerina Monte/DMS