Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Erwin Tulfo is eyeing a three-strike policy for rescued children who are taken off the streets.
At a public briefing, Tulfo expressed frustration over the cycle of parents just reclaiming their children after the minors had been rescued by authorities multiple times, GMA News reported.
Quoted by the report, the DSWD chief said “Now, it will be stricter. We will implement a three-strike policy. When the LGU rescues your child for the third time, we will check if the DSWD can take custody of these children.”
Tulfo also said he will work and consult with legal experts and other government agencies, lawmakers in Congress, the Office of the Solicitor General, and Malacañang, to see if his proposal is legal.
Tulfo said for him, it would be better if these children were under the care of the DSWD rather than parents who keep neglecting them.
In some LGUs, Tulfo said parents are just asked to perform community service to reclaim their children.
Tulfo also said he observed a similar cycle with indigenous peoples (IPs) rescued from begging in the streets.
He said he planned to provide these IPs with livelihoods in their home communities.