MANILA, Philippines — The city government of Caloocan is planning to construct a halfway house for juvenile delinquents, after the city received financial assistance from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

This came as the DSWD turned over its aid worth P2.5 million to the city during the memorandum of agreement (MoA) signing carried out last December 29, 2011. Caloocan Mayor Enrico Echiverri and DSWD National Capital Region (NCR) director Ma. Alicia Bonoan led the signing of MoA.

As planned, the institution to be built will take care of so-called “juvenile delinquents” as well as serve as a temporary home for youngsters wandering the streets of Caloocan City, the mayor said.

Currently, the city government has the “Yakap Bata Holding Center” which takes care of several law offenders aged 15 years old and below.

At the same time, the institution has also taken into its fold several young street urchins from the Monumento area, 5th Ave. and Rizal Ave. in the city.

Echiverri bared that the new building to be financed with the DSWD money and would function in tandem with the “Yakap Bata Holding Center” would be dubbed “Bahay Pag-Asa.”