A joint operation conducted by the Department of Social Services and Development (DSSD)-Anti Mendicancy Team, in collaboration with Bacolod Police Station 1, has resulted in the rescue of 15 minors from the city streets since last week.
The team has been patrolling the city overnight to enforce the curfew for minors and provide case management interventions, focusing on rescuing those loitering late at night.
Their first encounter involved several children seeking shelter outside a mall in Barangay Mandalagan. Authorities rescued the children after discovering they were begging in the area, with some having stayed there for several years.
DSSD head Richelle Verdeprado-Mangga emphasized the need to break the cycle of minors living on the streets. “Let’s give them a future. They are still children, they have so much potential, and still have so many things that they can do to transform their lives.”
“With the rounds we are conducting, we want to intensify these efforts so that these children will really be reached. The team is working with social workers, who can assist in case management,” Verdeprado-Mangga said.
At the Bacolod public plaza, the team also rounded up several “solvent boys”, including a 17-year-old with a foot ailment, who could barely walk. He was promptly taken to the hospital for treatment, the city said in a press release Aug. 19.
Of the 15 minors rescued during the operation, four were girls. All were brought to the Youth Home for necessary intervention.
“We cannot place all children in institutions—sending them there should only be the last resort. What we want is to reintegrate them into their communities and bring them back to their families, because that is where the biggest role lies. The primary responsibility rests with their parents,” Verdeprado-Mangga added, highlighting the importance of community involvement through the Barangay Council for the Protection of Children.
The operation was partly prompted by Mayor Greg Gasataya’s concern after an online video last week, which showed four boys allegedly threatening students inside a fast-food chain near the plaza. Three of the four minors involved were rescued, two of whom had previously run away from home.
Through the Anti-Mendicancy Team, the DSSD aims to strengthen its campaign for child protection, ensuring that vulnerable children receive proper attention and are shielded from abuse, neglect, exploitation, and violence.
While the city continues its rescue operations, officials are stressing the importance of responsible parenting and community involvement in addressing the issue. ||
