Dabawenyos asked not to give alms to visiting IPs

The Davao City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) has asked Dabawenyos not to give alms to visiting members of the Indigenous Communities as they might be doing them more harm instead.

CSWDO Supervising Administrative Officer IV, Julie Dayaday said the amount given to IP members, as they beg on the streets, cannot pay for the cost of their lives once they get involved in a vehicular accident.

“Ang kanang atong ginahatag nga baynte pesos sa ilaha, kung muhatag man tag baynte pesos, pero maligsan man galing sobra pa sa bayte pesos ang ilang magasto, (The twenty pesos that we give them, once they get involved in a vehicular accident, that twenty pesos cannot cover for the expenses),” Dayaday said.

She said that while Christmas is the time of giving, it can be done
in proper areas – in coordination with the proper agency and consideration of safety – not on the streets.

“Nindot man gyud magpasko kay pasko man gyud, this is the time for giving and sharing but the risk wala ni siya nakita sa atoang mga igsuong lumad. Ang ilaha lang nga makadawat sila og pamasko but ang risgo, wala na nila nakita, mao bitaw ang panawagan sa atoang kaigsoonan kay naa man tay anti-mendicancy law kung pwede dili lang gyud ta muhatag sa ilaha didto sa dalan, (Christmas is indeed a time for giving and sharing but the risk is not seen by our lumad brothers and sisters, it is enough for them that they receive presents. They cannot see the risk, that is why we are calling on our fellow Dabawenyos that since we have the anti-mendicancy law and that if they can, they must not give alms to members of the lumad community on the streets),” she said.

Dayaday said that the majority of the lumad who recently came to Davao City are from neighboring municipalities and assisting them must be in coordination with DSWD XI.

Last November 19, the CSWDO, in coordination with the municipalities of Talaingod and Laak, transported IPs to their respective residence. The city also provided grocery packs to the returning IPs.

Dayaday said that she advised the Municipal Social Welfare and Development Officers (MSWDOs) of the said municipalities to encourage the IPs through their datus not to go to their neighboring cities during Christmas.

She also urged them to replicate the Pahalipay sa Lumad, conducted by the City of Davao, where the members of CSWDO themselves go to communities to give out gifts to IPs.

Dayaday said that there are remaining members of IP communities in Davao and they have already identified their origin. They are doing their best to coordinate with the LGUs outside Region XI for their return. CIO