Mayor Carmelo “Pogi” Lazatin, Jr. on September 29 ordered the rescue of displaced families, homeless street children and mentally-challenged individuals starting this October thru the conduct of a series of city-wide inter-office rescue and saturation operation.
Lazatin’s Chief Adviser IC Calaguas said this is in line with Mayor Lazatin’s goal to prioritize the safety and welfare of Angeleños, ensuring that no one will stay out in the cold streets of the city, especially this coming holiday season.
Calaguas, with Executive Assistant IV Reina Manuel, will supervise the rescue teams formed from members of City Social Welfare and Development Office led by Edna Duaso; Angeles City Tourism Auxiliary headed by Michael Lising; Gender and Development Office led by Mina Cabiles; and representatives of the Angeles City Women and Children Protection Center and Angeles City Police Office.
Manuel shared that reports from today’s operations show that a total of nine individuals – 6 women and 3 men – were rescued along Barangays Malabanias and Balibago and returned to their families. “May ipinamigay din po tayong mga food packages para sa kanila bago natin ihinatid pauwi.”
According to Duaso, all children, elderly, individuals, and families who will be rescued will be reintegrated into their families. “May interview at assessment pong ginagawa ang mga social workers natin to identify them,” she explained.
If they are from the city, they will be returned to their homes, but if not, they will be turned over to the city’s custody centers – the city-run Bale Puso for abandoned elderly and the Kanlungan ng Kabataan for the youth.
“Yung mga street families naman po, pinapahatid po sila ng city government kung saan po sila residente,” Duaso added. “We were also instructed to have them tested first for COVID-19 to ensure everyone’s safety.”
It can be recalled that even before the start of the pandemic, the city government has already conducted a number of rescue operations, specifically helping homeless street children and families, and mentally-challenged individuals to return to their homes.
