For the first time, more than 100 participants from various sectors of society, national government agencies (NGAs), local government units (LGUs), non-government organizations (NGOs), and business groups; as well as program planners and street dwellers shall  come together in a multi-stakeholders’ summit dubbed “A Conversation: Ensuring that Street Dwellers are Not Left Behind,”  starting today until the 29th in Mandaluyong City.

The summit carries the theme “Pagtutulungan Tungo sa Ligtas at Kaaya-ayang Pamumuhay”.

Organized by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), together with the Future by Design Pilipinas (FBDP), the summit aims to come up with concrete suggestions and recommendations on how stakeholders and street dwellers can empower each other towards creating and sustaining safe and healthy communities for families, children, and unattached adults at risk on the streets.

According to DSWD Secretary Corazon Juliano-Soliman, stakeholders and street dwellers need to join hands to determine what this sector needs.

With a convergence of efforts and resources of all stakeholders, street dwellers can be empowered towards an improved quality of life,” she said.

To address the needs of street dwellers, DSWD is continuously implementing the Comprehensive  Program for Street Children, Street Families, and Indigenous Peoples, especially Bajaus.

The program aims to reduce visibility and vulnerability of street children and street families in critical areas in NCR where most of them can be found.

Sec. Soliman said that the Department is working with partner-agencies and stakeholders in the community, converging and maximizing resources to ensure that the services under the comprehensive program are implemented in these areas.

Services being provided to street children and their families include the operation of activity centers, social preparations, provision of opportunities to go back in the province and live a new life with better income opportunities through a livelihood program, and conduct of psycho-social services for healing and development through camping project and day/night minding center for very young children to enable their parents to work and earn for the family.

As of September 2014, a total of 4,756 street children and 1,785 street families have availed of the package of services. ###