The homeless and beggars remain a common sight in the streets of Metro Manila. They roam the busy roads to beg for change, relying on the kindness of strangers for their survival, while others sleep rough on the streets. 

The dire situation of these poor street dwellers has prompted Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo to make an urgent appeal to Metro Manila mayors to take action. 

A local task force can be created by the local government units to take the vagrants off the street and give them aid, according to Panelo.

"We are calling out the mayors dito sa Metro Manila....Marami diyan namamalimos, nagkalat. Natutulog diyan sa sidewalk. Bakit 'di natin magawaan ng paraan yan (There many begging for alms, sleeping on the sidewalk. Why can't we do something about it?) I cannot even understand why we cannot do that?" Panelo said during his "Counterpoint" program Saturday, Feb. 6.

Panelo cited the responsibility of mayors to care for street beggars even as the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) assists in rescuing these people from the streets and providing them support.

"But basically 'yung mga mayors, dapat may particular task force ang bawat lgus para 'yan lang asikasuhin nila (But basically the mayors should have a particular task force in each lgus that will focus on addressing the matter)," he suggested.

The Palace official made the appeal after spotting several poor street dwellers while cruising the streets of San Juan and Quezon City. He saw some were begging for alms while others were sleeping on the sidewalk.

"Yung mga namamalimos ang lalaki ng mga katawan. Kinakaladkad pa yung mga bata, 'yung mga baby nila hawak-hawak pa. Naku talaga naman. Ano na ba nangyari sa panawagan natin sa local government units? Abay damptuin ninyo at ilagay ninyo sa tamang kalalagyan nila, itong nagpapalimos sa kalsada (Those begging for alms are abled bodied. They even bring their children, their babies, to beg. What happened to our call to local government units? You should rescue them and put these street beggars in the proper place)," he said.

Panelo expressed concern about the plight of the street dwellers, especially during the pandemic, saying they are vulnerable to illnesses and accidents.
"Unang-una, 'yung kalusugan nila ay nandun at risk. Pangalawa, hindi magandang tingnan (First, their health is at risk. Second, it does not look good),' he said.

"Pangatlo, open pa sila sa aksidente o kaya sa pagsasamantala rin ng kahintulad nilang nagsasamanatla sa sitwaysyon (Third, they are open to accidents or to those who might take advantage of the situation)," he added.

The social welfare department has repeatedly appealed to the public not to give alms to street beggars amid government efforts to address the problem of mendicancy. The department currently implements a program to provide aid and shelter for street dwellers.