NEWS BRIEFS

DSWD: Secure travel clearance minors

Amid an influx of travels during the holiday season, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) on Wednesday reminded the public to secure a travel clearance for minors to prevent any form of abuse. DSWD spokesperson Romel Lopez said Filipino children below 17 years of age can go to the nearest DSWD field office to submit the necessary documents required in securing a travel clearance, which can be obtained within three working days after the submission of requirements. A travel clearance must be secured by minors below 17 who will go abroad for leisure travel, attend competitions, studies, visiting relatives, among others. “With the approaching holiday season, the DSWD urges parents and legal guardians to secure travel clearance for their children who will be going abroad unaccompanied by adults or without their parents,” Lopez said in a statement. He added that the travel clearance will “protect the best interest of children” to prevent them from any crimes like child trafficking, noting that the DSWD has the mandate to “provide special protection to children from all forms of abuse, exploitation, trafficking, and/or sale or any practice prejudicial to their development.” Lopez pointed out that a child is not allowed to travel alone or be accompanied by any person other than the parent or legal guardian to a foreign country without a DSWD-issued travel clearance, as provided under the agency’s omnibus guidelines. A travel document costs P300 for one year validity and P600 for clearance valid for two years. It can be obtained from any field office of the DSWD or within the area of the minor’s residence. Requirements can be accessed through their website www.dswd.gov.ph/travel-clearance-for-minors. —Dempsey Reyes

Valenzuela opens 2nd Kadiwa store

A second Kadiwa ni Ani at Kita store was inaugurated in Barangay Ugong, Valenzuela City, on Tuesday, with P1 million turned over by the Department of Agriculture (DA) for the capital and operating funds of the store. Valenzuela Mayor Wes Gatchalian hopes that the second Kadiwa store would be able to replicate the success of the first store opened in Ugong by the Alyansa ng mga Mamamayan ng Valenzuela (Amva) Multipurpose Cooperative. “Just like [the one by] Amva, I hope that we will be able to utilize our capital … From what I’ve heard, they have a great concept of using the store like a central distributor that helps residents through affordable prices and they could also resell products with a [higher] margin,” he said on Tuesday. The Kadiwa ni Ani at Kita store is a direct marketing program of the DA where producers are directly linked with the consuming public. —GILLIAN N. VILLANUEVA