By MERLINDA A. PEDROSA

The Department of Social Services and Development (DSSD) in Bacolod City has intensified its campaign to rescue children-at-risk (CAR) who are staying on the streets and used to sniffing solvent.

This follows after DSSD head Dr. Richelle Verdeprado-Mangga saw a viral video posted on Facebook last week showing a group of minors sniffing solvent along North Capitol Road.

Verdeprado-Mangga ordered social workers in various barangays as well as the Anti-Mendicancy Division to identify and rescue the 17 minors.

“They are not children in conflict with the law. Under existing laws, they should be rescued and will be given an intervention and will be turned over to their parents,” she said.

Some minors were rescued by the Anti-Mendicancy Division several times.

“We conducted an intervention and activities with their parents to encourage them to go back to their home and let their children study in school,” Verdeprado-Mangga said.

A non-government organization also reached out to these children, and they were turned over to their parents.

Verdeprado-Mangga said some of the minors’ parents were also staying on the streets, and it’s challenging to give them a long-term solution and intervention.

Some rescued children have already been endorsed to various DSSD’s partner institutions.

However, not all children are eligible for institutional care.

“We have a case management process, such as assessment and planning, to ensure that they still have siblings here to take care of them,” she added.

The DSSD is also coordinating with the barangays for the monitoring and intervention program of the Barangay Council for Protection of Children.

They are also conducting mapping operations to determine the total number of CAR or homeless individuals who are living or staying on the streets in the city.

Under Republic Act 9344, or the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act of 2006, DSSD’s intervention should cover the different stages involving at-risk and children in conflict with the law, from prevention to rehabilitation and reintegration.

The state recognizes the right of children to assistance, including proper care and nutrition, and special protection from all forms of neglect, abuse, cruelty and exploitation, and other conditions prejudicial to their development.

Moreover, DSSD also urged the public not to give alms to children who are begging on the streets.

“We should not tolerate them for their own safety so that they will not stay on the streets,” Verdeprado-Mangga said./MAP, WDJ