City Strengthens Anti-Mendicancy Drive, Provides ‘Strat Plan’ Workshop

Hundreds of members of the Cebu City Anti-Mendicancy Office (CCAMO) from the different agencies underwent a one day Strategic Planning workshop held last September 14, at the city’s Social Hall, 4th floor of Legislative Building in Cebu City Hall.

Cebu City Mayor Michael Lopez Rama is very serious and aggressive in the drive against mendicants and night dwellers. With the convergence of stakeholders through Public-Private Partnership (PPP), Mayor Rama vows to support the move to help solve the problems on people living in the streets for the beautification of the city.

Former Cebu City Councilor Atty. Joy Pesquera, who is the Chairman of the Anti-Mendicancy Board the Strategic Planning which is funded through the city’s Accelerated Social Amelioration Program (ASAP), said they will strengthen the project identification and action planning of the different committees under the organization.

“We have to care, share and serve the less fortunate especially the city’s street dwellers and mendicants,” Pesquera underscored.

Betty Ganub, CCAMO executive director, has shared the profile and statistics of the city’s street dwellers and mendicants reached 2,400 where 456 of it are street families, 1,573 are dependents, 371 are street individuals and 33 are currently staying in the Citi Center as their temporary shelter located along Junquera Street in Brgy. Kamagayan.

City Councilor Roberto Cabarrubias who is also a member of the Anti-Mendicancy Board also expressed his support for the activity saying “politics should be set aside when we talk of serving the people.”

Furthermore, highlighting the event was the revisiting of the group’s vision, mission and goals (VMG), updates on the situationers, strategic direction by committee, and project identification and planning. (By: Greggy Jiggs P. Senados, PIO Staff)