City proposes halfway house for street dwellers

CEBU, Philippines- Following the simultaneous rescue of street dwellers in Cebu City, the City’s Task Force for Better Life is proposing to establish a halfway house that would serve as a temporary rehabilitation shelter for those rescued.

At least 62 street dwellers were rounded up Friday night by the Anti-Mendicancy Board with the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit expected to start next week.

Rosalima Cimagala, the appointed head of the task force, said the office is eyeing a long term effect in order to provide programs for the street dwellers while they are housed in the temporary shelter so they can eventually sustain their own living.

The office has identified project site on the second floor of T. Padilla Market in Cebu City.

The proposed halfway house, where mendicants can avail of a livelihood training program, would allow street dwellers to learn necessary skills for them to have their own source of living and not depend on what they receive in the streets.

Further, the halfway house would provide enough space for street dwellers to protect them from hazards of calamities, such as flood.

Cimagala observed that the streets have been flooded by street dwellers but said rejecting them would be a greater problem to address.

“Our city is placed in a real challenge to combat poverty by placing those in the streets to a place where their potentials can be uncovered and where hope to have a better life is afforded to them,” she said.

The proposal for a halfway house is part of the Sustainable Poverty Reduction and Economic Alleviation and Development program pushed by the office.

The office still has to seek approval from the executive department to commence the operation of the halfway house. The letter of request it sent to utilize the second floor of the T. Padilla market has already been approved.

A projected amount of P3.75 million has been requested, to be charged to the city government’s Accelerated Social Amelioration Program fund, to finance the renovation works, acquisition of furniture and equipment, among others.  (FREEMAN)