A former street “rugby boy” has asked the public to stop stereotyping street children and youth offenders as criminals, instead give them the chance to reform saying they too can change.

“Dapat ‘yun yung makita nila hindi yung gawa lang kayo nang gawa ng batas isipin nila kung paano nila matutulungan kasi pag-inahon mo yan gagawa ba ng masama yan? Ano ang magagawa niyan? Katulad ko ngayon, ibinalik ko ang natutunan ko ngayon at ang ginawa sakin nito,” Simeon Ulanday, from children rights foundation Bahay Tuluyan, said in a press briefing in Quezon City on Thursday.

Before, Ulanday was a kid involved in drugs and crime, but now, with the assistance of Bahay Tuluyan, he helps out in non-government organizations.

“Dati akong rugby boy, solvent boy [pero] ngayon isa na po ako sa nire-respeto nila [street children] bilang kuya at nakakatanda,” Ulanday said.

“Ngayon po nagtatrabaho po ako sa Recto kapag walang pasok nagvovolunteer pa rin ako… Sa mga [non-government organizations],” he added.

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https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1127519/ex-street-kid-to-public-we-can-change-too?fbclid=IwAR2YemJbclstFDC57E1dbv5oJoeuCGbAc60nqAEtSrU2dMs2SngtEu_nOYc

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