CSWDO cautions parents on kids going caroling
By Ralph Lawrence G. Llemit
THE Davao City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) reminded parents anew to discipline their children caroling in subdivisions and any other public places after noticing influx of minors in the streets.
CSWDO head Marlisa Gallo said in a radio interview on Thursday, December 23, that she was surprised with the number of children roaming around the streets despite the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
Gallo said her office continues to receive reports of children caroling from one house to another, despite the current restrictions for those below 18 years old from leaving their homes unless for essential purposes.
Another scheme, she said, is that some children hop on board public utility vehicles and distribute envelopes to each passenger, begging for financial assistance.
Hence, she turned her reminder to the parents that it is their responsibility to stop their kids from going outside their residences.
“Ang pagpanaygon, ma-consider kana siya gihapon nga dili essential nga travel [ug] activity. So bawal pa gyud unta na siya. Pero naa man gud responsibilidad ani nga dapat ang mudisiplina, mubadlong ani nia sa mga ginikanan (Caroling is still considered a non-essential travel and activity. So it is still prohibited. However, it is still the parent’s responsibility to discipline their children),” Gallo said in an interview on 87.5 FM Davao City Disaster Radio.
She added, “Dapat kitang mga ginikanan, ato i-remind permanente atong anak nga dili nato pagawason kay tungod lang manaygon. Kay gibawalan pa man gyud nato magpagawas aning atong mga bata kay even now, naa pa man gihapon ta sa atong ginatawag nga pandemya (We, parents should constantly remind our children to stay at home and bar them from going out just to do caroling. They are still prohibited from going out since we are still at a pandemic state).”
The official said CSWDO had recently rescued children in the streets and brought them to their Quick Response team while searching for their parents or legal guardian.
The CSWDO head, who is also a lawyer, reminded the Presidential Decree No. 1563 popularly known as the Anti-Mendicancy Law of 1978, which prohibits giving alms to the beggars.
Since minors cannot be arrested nor be punished by law, she stressed that the parents could be held liable.
“Mas delikado sa ilaha, instead nga nakatabang ta, kabalo man ta ang risk involved kung naa sa dalan (It is risky on their part because instead of helping them, we are even putting them at risk when they’re on the streets)” she said.
While she understands that it is part of Christmas spirit, she, however, reminded that children must still remain indoors considering that majority of minors remain unvaccinated, plus the threat of the Omicron variant had recently reached the country.
Davao City, under the Alert Level 2 status until the end of 2021, is not restricting minors and other vulnerable sectors from going out following the downtrend of Covid-19 active cases in the city.
However, the Davao City Covid-19 Task Force reiterated that vulnerable sectors should, at most times, stay at home as the threat of the pandemic is still not over.
This after children can be seen loitering inside malls, and other crowded public places. RGL
