Manila, Dec. 22 -- The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) on Monday strongly condemned any form of exploitation of children, and considered child abduction as a grave and unacceptable act.

This followed an incident where a 1-year-old child was taken and used for begging on the street by a young man.

"Abducting a child is a grave and unacceptable act, and the Department strongly condemns any form of exploitation of children. We remind all parents and guardians to be vigilant and never entrust their children to strangers under any circumstance," DSWD Assistant Secretary and spokesperson Irene Dumlao said in a statement.

On Dec. 10, the DSWD came to the aid of the parents of a 1-year-old child who was abducted in Baranga...