ANGELES CITY — The International Justice Mission (IJM) has recognized the Angeles City government for their program which led to the saving of 400 children from off the streets.
“We are grateful to the IJM for recognizing our efforts to keep children safe, especially those who are in need of a home and protection,” Mayor Carmelo ‘Pogi’ Lazatin Jr. said, adding that this initiative will be continuous to ramp up the city’s goal to prioritize children.
Edna Duaso, City Social Welfare and Development Officer, received the plaque of recognition yesterday at her office.
Duaso said this is in pursuit of the Lazatin administration’s putting premium on the safety and welfare of children.
“IJM acknowledges the invaluable contribution of the work of the CSWDO during the Child Protection Compact Partnership where nearly 400 children were kept safe,” the plaque states.
In fact, the city-wide rescue operation and saturation drive of the city government, which is done daily, is not just directed on children in the streets but also homeless individuals and displaced families.
Lazatin’s Chief Adviser IC Calaguas and Executive Assistant IV Reina Manuel are supervising the teams from CSWDO, Gender and Development Office led by Mina Cabiles; Angeles City Tourism Auxiliary headed by Michael Lising; Angeles City Police Office and the Angeles City Women and Children Protection Center in conducting the daily rescue operation and saturation drive.
To date, a total of 196 individuals – 151 minors and 45 adults – have been rescued. As of October 26, 195 individuals were rescued, given food assistance, and returned to their families around the city and in Porac town, Tarlac province, Mabalacat City and Nueva Ecija.
Out of the 195, 45 are adults and 151 are children.
Four girls and two boys are also now in the custody centers of the city government – the Home for the Girls and Bahay Pag-Asa. Meanwhile, one female homeless abandoned elderly was turned over to the city’s home for the aged, Bale Pusu.
It can be recalled that on December 2020, the city also conducted a large rescue operation, rescuing 136 homeless individuals, composed of 93 individuals from displaced families, 12 street kids, 16 homeless Badjaos, and 15 mentally-challenged individuals.
Mayor Lazatin has signed a Memorandum of Agreement with the Metro Psych Facility in Pasay and St. Claire Homecare Inc. for the treatment of mentally-ill and psychologically-challenged individuals rescued from the streets – Angeleños or not.
Some 63 mentally-challenged individuals were referred for treatment to the city’s partner mental institutions. Sixteen of these were already discharged and reintegrated into their respective families.
