The ‘Restorative Journey with Children in Metro Cebu’ aims to provide shelter and intervention for street children. Services will start in October.
The Mandaue city government said it is ready to support the non-government organization.
The Holy Spirit Missionary Sisters, Fellowship for Organizing Endeavor (Forge), Dilaab Foundation, University of San Carlos (USC) and Balay Samaritan is waiting for a memorandum of agreement to set up the organization and list its children beneficiaries.
Assisi Development Foundation will fund to the program.
Chief Insp. Michael Anthony Bastes, chief of Investigation and Detection Management Branch, said he presented their program to the Inter-agency Council against Trafficking (IACAT) during their meeting yesterday at the City Social Welfare and Services office.
IACAT, created in 2009 through a city ordinance, enacts measures and develops programs that promote human dignity, protect people from violence and exploitation, eliminate trafficking in persons and mitigate pressures for involuntary migration and servitude of persons to ensure their recovery, rehabilitation and reintegration.
Bastes said IACAT expressed willingness to supporting their one-year program.
Aside from providing shelter and intervention, the program will provide basic needs such as clothing food, and education for the street children.
Bastes said he always tries to give shelter and food to streetchildren wherever he is assigned.
He said taking care of the children was not easy, but other people helped him buy them clothes, shoes and food.
During his stint as chief of the the Fuente police station, Bastes would bring street children in his daily morning exercises to promote a healthy lifestyle and steer them away from sniffing rugby and drug sue.
Bastes said he was proud that after two months, the street children were gaining weight.
He said he hoped that through the new restorative journey program, they will be able to help more street children in Metro Cebu.
Bastes said they will start with 100 children.
“Gusto sa taga Mandaue nga kung unsa akong gibuhat sa Cebu City buhaton pud nako dinhi,” he said.
Mandaue City public information officer Roger Paler said the local government will help the new NGO.
He said they will pilot the project in barangay Centro where most street children are located.
He said that IACAT also includes the International Justice Mission (IJM).
IACAT will be presenting the program of Bastes to Mayor Jonas Cortes for funding. /CORRESPONDENT JUCELL MARIE CUYOS