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Filipino Children in Street Situations
Right before the pandemic there are no less than 369,000 children in street situations (CiSS) in the Philippines, according to a study conducted by LifeBank Foundation, Inc. (LBF) and Social Weather Stations in 2019.
These children are often seen scavenging or begging in the streets, but our own research shows that many CiSS go to school and they are not indeed living in the streets, as in the case of some children we interviewed in the cities of Iloilo and Cagayan de Oro.
Common to these CiSS are their exposure to neglect, exploitation, abuse, and violence—and a family or home environment that pushes them into the streets.
CiSS and their families often have limited access to basic services and do not have livelihoods to meet their needs. Below par outcomes in education, functional literacy, health, nutrition, and life skills are expected — providing them small limited opportunities to achieve their maximum potential in life.
Pre-pandemic, some CiSS help their household survive by being ambulant vendors selling different food and miscellaneous items in the streets.
While groups fear that the global health crisis could lead to the ballooning of the number of CiSS across the country, LBF and its partners have committed to continue servicing the children, especially those in need.
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Our Network
After its inception in 2018, the Street Children NGO Support Project of LifeBank Foundation is now a 23-member strong NGO network in Visayas and Mindanao, with public and private partnerships forged to alleviate the condition of the Filipino children in street situations (CiSS).
After taking the initiative to fill in the gaps on data and research about CiSS, the SNSP is now in the second phase with particular support in capacity building of partner institutions and livelihood support for the partner families.
There is now momentum to march forward and go to the next phase of the project, which shall focus on strengthening the network, enabling better information systems, engaging with government agencies on CiSS policies and programs, capacity building for local NGOs working with CiSS, and livelihood and support for families and children.
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Learn More About Children in Street Situations
There is a big gap in reliable data on the scale and nature of the problem of children in street situations since the latest national and international data is already decades old. So, we have begun compiling relevant literature to help you know more about the issue.
