THE local government has allocated an initial amount of P1 million to operate a processing center for mendicants in Zamboanga City.
Ma. Socorro Rojas, City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) chief, made the announcement citing the city is opening a processing center for mendicants.
Rojas they will utilize the building of the Magbasa Kita Foundation of former Senator Santanina Rasul along R.T. Lim Boulevard to serve as the processing center.
Rojas said the center, with a 30-person capacity, will be manned by a social worker and three staff members.
The CSWDO chief said the City Government will strictly implement the anti-mendicancy ordinance to clear the city streets of mendicants.
She said the center will serve as temporary shelter of mendicants who will be rounded up in the city streets.
Rojas added they will be housed at the center while the CSWDO is in the process of locating their relatives to eventually send them home.
The CSWDO has noted that some of the mendicants downtown come from nearby areas of the region. (Bong Garcia/VoxPop Philippines)
