Have you ever wondered how some people end up living on the streets? Research shows that two main factors are family instability and poverty. Children, teenagers, and even adults run away from home — due to reasons such as domestic violence, neglect, or extreme poverty. With no family or relatives to care for them, they resort to begging on the streets, living in makeshift dwellings.
To address, this issue, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has come up with a program, entitled, “Comprehensive Program for Street Children, Street Families, and Indigenous Peoples Especially Sama-Bajau” (COMPRE). Keep on reading to learn more about this program and its objectives!
What is COMPRE?
The COMPRE program is an integrated approach in responding to the needs of street children and their families. Its ultimate goal is to contribute to the reduction of vulnerabilities of children, families, and indigenous peoples at-risk on the streets. The program provides a packages of interventions, services, and opportunities for these people to live productively in a safe environment.
Notably, the program goes in line with Chapter 1, Section 17 (f) of the Local Government Code, which states that the National Government may provide or augment the basic services and facilities assigned to a lower level of local government when such services are not made available or not enough to meet the requirements of its inhabitants.
Objectives of the Program
Generally, the program aims to reduce activities and vulnerabilities of children and families at-risk in the streets by responding to their immediate needs and engaging them in productive, cultural, and developmental activities in a safe environment.
Specifically, the program seeks to:
- Ensure children are safe an in-school by preventing them from staying in major thoroughfares and providing them with sustained developmental and age-appropriate activities that will stimulate their physical, psychosocial, emotional, and moral development;
- Provide opportunities for parents to earn, improve their parenting capabilities, and strengthen their involvement in community building efforts; and
- Generate strong support in the campaign to reduce incidence of street dwelling and increase awareness of the general public on the plight of street children and families through the conduct of advocacy activities and mobilization of resources to support interventions.
Target Beneficiaries
The target beneficiaries of the program include:
- Children at-risk on the streets (including community-based children and street-based children);
- Unattached adults on the streets; and
- Families at-risk on the streets (including homeless families and community-based families).
Services
The program provides different types of services for children, families, and the general public:
For Children
Educational Assistance
- Activity Center for Children
- Supplementary Feeding
- Play Sessions
- Hygiene Services
- Literacy / Tutorial Services
- Peer Coaching
- Recreational, Sports, and Other Services
Cultural Activities
- Birth Registration
- Community Service Program
- Pasko ng Batang Pinoy
- Culture-sensitive Medical Services
- Culture-based ECCD Sessions for Sama-Bajau Children
- Empowering Learning Sessions for Indigenous Peoples’ Initiatives (ELIPI)
For Families
- Parenting Enrichment Sessions
- Skills Training
- Livelihood Assistance
- Job Facilitation
- Cash for Work for Park Attendants
For General Public
- Advocacy
- Popularization of the Protocol to Reach Out to Street Children
- Networking and Linkages
Pilot Areas
The pilot implementation of the COMPRE program includes the following regions: Central Luzon, National Capital Region (NCR), CALABARZON, Bicol Region, Western Visayas, Central Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, and Davao Region. In particular, the 8-year pilot implementation took place in the regions’ highly urbanized cities and municipalities, in coordination with Local Government Units (LGUs), non-government organizations (NGOs), and other stakeholders.
Notably, here are some highlights of the results of the program’s pilot implementation:
- Task Forces for Children, Families, and IPs were created in both local and regional levels;
- In-school street children were given educational assistance, whereas out-of-school youth (OSY) were provided Alternative Learning System (ALS) at the Activity Centers;
- Families at-risk on the streets were given livelihood capital assistance;
- Able-bodied adults were hired as park attendants, while other job seekers were given financial assistance for their requirements; and
- Children and their families participated in camping, activities, and other family development sessions.
Video: About the COMPRE Program
Watch this video to learn more about the Comprehensive Program for Street Children, Street Families, and Indigenous Peoples (COMPRE). This video was shared by DZGBNewsOnline, which happens to be the official social media page of DZGB-AM, a radio station based in Legazpi City.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Meanwhile, here are some commonly asked questions about the COMPRE program:
1. What is COMPRE?
COMPRE stands for “Comprehensive Program for Street Children, Street Families, and Indigenous Peoples Especially Sama-Bajau.” It is an integrated approach in responding to the needs of street children and their families.
2. What are its objectives?
The COMPRE program generally aims to reduce activities and vulnerabilities of children and families at-risk in the streets by responding to their immediate needs and engaging them in productive, cultural, and developmental activities.
3. Who are its target beneficiaries?
The COMPRE program’s target beneficiaries include: (a) children at-risk on the streets, including community-based and street-based children; (b) unattached adults on the streets; and (c) families at-risk on the streets, including homeless families and community-based families.
4. What are the services it offers?
The program provides different types of services for children, families, and the general public, as well.
5. How can I learn more about it?
You can learn more about the COMPRE program by going to the nearest DSWD Office in your area.
Contact Information: Social Technology Bureau
For residents in the National Capital Region (NCR) who have inquiries and concerns about the program, you can get in touch with the Social Technology Bureau (STB) located at the DSWD Central Office in Quezon City. Its office hours are 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, Mondays to Fridays.
Address: Social Technology Bureau, 3rd Floor, Matapat Building, Department of Social Welfare and Development – Central Office, IBP Road, Constitution Hills, Batasan Complex, Quezon City
Telephone: +632 8951 7124 / 8951 2802 / 8931 8144
Email: soctech@dswd.gov.ph
Website: https://stb.dswd.gov.ph/
Google Map:
Infographic About Project
Meanwhile, check out this infographic for a quick overview about the COMRE program:
Final Thoughts
Thanks to programs such as COMPRE, we can address the issue of children, families, and indigenous peoples living on the streets. By providing them with different types of services and interventions, hopefully they can be empowered and eventually decide not to dwell on the streets, since it puts their very lives at risk.
Speaking of indigenous peoples, did you know that the DSWD has a project for the Sama-Bajau? Head to this link to know more about the SaLInLAHI Project, a community-based project that is focused on the learning and development of Sama-Bajau children.