The Paginhawaan Drop-In Center for Children (PDICC) celebrated its 34th anniversary on Thursday, marking more than three decades of providing safety for children at risk and in need of special protection.
PDICC, founded in 1993 under the mayorship of Former President Rodrigo Duterte, was established to serve as a temporary shelter for children in street situation.
Carla Grado, PDICC’s Center Manager, in an interview with the City Information Office (CIO), said since the center’s founding, it has given homeless people, abandoned children, and children at risk a place to live, safety, and protection.
She added that the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) continue to prioritize the safety of children by conducting regular rescue operations and street education, ensuring that no children are left to fend off for themselves in the streets.
“Makit-an man nato diri sa Davao City kung unsa ka aktibo atoang mga CSWDO and other agencies nga nagatabang para kanang wala’y bata nga naa sa kalsada kay ang kalsada dili gyud na siya para sa mga bata (Our social workers and other agencies are actively providing assistance to ensure the safety of children in street situation because we know that the street is not a place for children),” Grado said.
She said that the CSWDO continues its proactive campaign to clear the streets of mendicants and protect vulnerable children from being used as tools for solicitation, reminding Dabawenyos to not give alms to eliminate the practice of begging and stop the exploitation of children by adults for this purpose. CIO
Written by: J. Villaluz
Edited by: A. Nawal
Photo by: J. Faelnar
