Rama orders monitoring of night dwellers

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama has ordered for the monitoring of night dwellers in the city for a year.

“I want a 365 day-operation for night dwellers, 24 hours,” said Rama, during a press conference yesterday.

Rama earlier said that the city will be providing temporary shelter and food to street dwellers although will not give them reason to be dependent.

“Inig naay mga taw (night dwellers) sa Cebu City, pasanginlan man dayon ang mayor. Og dili na nato sila aligrahan, human being man na sila,” said Rama.

The city’s Task Force for a Better Life has rounded up around 200 individuals the other day from the streets.

For temporary shelter, Rama said yesterday that the city has provided the gymnasiums of Barangays Tinago and San Roque.

City Administrator Lucelle Mercado has earlier explained that the dwellers were not arrested and after spending a night at the Barangay San Roque gym, they left the next day to continue searching for livelihood.

On top of the two gyms, Rama said that he will also ask other barangay heads if they can provide a place for the dwellers to stay in at night.

“I’m going to go towards the involvement sa barangay,” Rama said as he explained that the participation of the barangays would help solve the concern on night dwellers in the city’s streets.

“Ma-involve na gani ang barangay anang night dweller, mas lesser ang burden,” he said, adding that it will also help lessen the crime considering that there are night dwellers who are into illegal activities.

“If there are there, there will be illegal assemblies. It involves minors,” Rama disclosed.- Mechelle Florita/ATO (FREEMAN)