DAVAO CITY -- The Davao City Social Services and Development Office (CSSDO) is gearing up for the visit and caroling of lumads in the city.
The different tribes from the city hinterlands and neighboring provinces come down to the big city for their annual caroling despite an assurance from the city authorities that events would be held in their respective communities.
CSSDO head Ma Luisa Bermudo said the social workers are now assessing the lumads from different barangays since the convergence would start on December 7 and ends on December 20.
“We do it (assessment) simultaneously since last week so that we can execute it smoothly,” she said.
Bermudo said the city would have nine shelter areas in Marilog and Paquibato, even as the CSSDO opened a shelter in Baguio district located in Barangay Tambobong.
She said that the city brings the convergence of IP groups far from the downtown area as they do not want them to experience risk of city life.
However, the CSSDO head said that for the lumads who are not from the city, there would be a contingency plan to keep them safe while caroling.
“Naa tay contingency, naa tay gi andam ng mga areas nga gi-identify nato. Pero kani siya, for short lang ni nga period (The contingency, we have prepared and identified possible areas for them but only for a short period),” she said.
Bermudo said the CSSDO would encourage these non-Davao lumads to go back to their places and the city would refer them to their respective local governments.
She said her office already monitored groups from other places who are already in the city. “Naa na tay makita sa may Buhangin, sa atoang lugar sa Agdao. Naga-conduct mig rescue sa ilaha og gina ingnan nga mo balik usa sa ilang lugar kay wala pa may December. Delikado man pud gud especially, they have children og naa sila sa mga risky nga lugar labaw na pag maghunong ang mga skayanan sa traffic, so delikado kaayo sa ilang mga bata (We see some of them in Buhangin and Agdao. We rescue them and told them to go back to their place since it was not yet December.
It is dangerous for them especially to their children because they are in the risky place and their children will run to the vehicles during traffic stops),” she said. (Armando Fenequito Jr/PNA)
