DSSD Head Richelle Verdeprado-Mangga (center) oversaw the rescue of the minors at the Bacolod Public Plaza.*
The Department of Social Services and Development (DSSD)-Anti-Mendicancy Team, in collaboration with Police Station 1, has rescued 15 minors from the streets of Bacolod City since last week.
The joint team has been patrolling the city at night to enforce the curfew for minors and provide case management interventions, focusing on rescuing those loitering late at night, a press release from the Bacolod City Communications Office (BCCO) aid.
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, and 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 apprehended 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 BCCO said.
Of the 15 minors rescued during the operation, four were girls. All were brought to the Youth Home for necessary intervention, the press release said.
“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 a video surfaced online last week showing four boys allegedly threatening students inside a fast-food chain near the Bacolod Public Plaza, the press release said.
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 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,” the press release said.*