45 IPs rescued
Half of those who were rescued are teens and infants
The Davao City Social Services and Development Office (CSSDO) reported a total of 45 Indigenous Peoples (IPs) rescued since they started the round-up operation and monitoring in October 2018.
CSSDO Administrative Officer IV Necitas Dalope said yesterday, November 13, 2018, during an interview with SunStar Davao that more than half of the reported number of IPs rescued by the Quick Response Team for Children’s Concern (QRTCC) are children aging 1 month old to 16 years old.
who are coming from different provinces are already referred to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) 11.
“In the round-up, these are individuals found out loitering in the streets,” Dalope said, adding that those who will beg, especially children, are being monitored by their team.
“Gina-advice gyud sila na dili mag-sige sa streets kay basin maligsan (We advise them not to loiter in the streets as they might get into accidents),” she said.
Dalope, however, said some IPs do not listen and still beg in the streets even if they are not allowed, like the 18 families from Kapalong.
With the upcoming Pasko Fiesta, the CSSDO announced that IPs in Marilog, and Paquibato, among others, will still be able to participate in the activities as the city will be the one to bring the event to their place.
City Tourism Office head Generose Tecson said the initiative aims to allow the IPs in farflung areas to participate without needing to go down the city and risk their safety and security.
Earlier, CSSDO head Malou Bermudo said they will not be providing shelters for IPs coming to the city. Instead, they will be sending them back to where they came from in coordination with local government units.
“Mao na karon, if you notice, gina-balik-probinsya gyud nato sila. And even prior to this, we have coordinated a close meeting with them [LGUs] (That is why right now, we make it sure that they go back to their provinces. And even prior to this, we already had a coordination meeting with other LGUs),” she said.
“Gina-advice gyud sila (lumad) na dili mag-sige sa streets kay basin maligsan,”
NECITAS DALOPE CSSDO Administrative Officer IV