City prepares for lumads' visit

YULETIDE season is just a few months away, and indigenous people (IP) or lumads from faraway villages are expected to visit Davao City as part of their decades-long tradition.

This early, the City Government has started all the necessary preparations needed for a smoother and worry-free exodus, locally referred as "Pagpanaog," of the lumads.

Mario Lausan, consultant to the office of Councilor Berino Mambo-o, the first mandatory representative of the IP to the City Council, told Sun.Star Davao that since Mambo-o assumed office, they have conducted numerous symposium to all lumad communities in Davao City trying to educate them on what is the significance of "pagpanaog" every December to their beliefs as lumads of Davao City.

"Ginapasabot namo sa ilaha ang mga maayo ug makadaot sa ila kung mag padayon sila sa pag-panaog diri sa syudada kada Disyembre (We tell them the advantages and disadvantages of their annual exodus)," Lausan said.

"Gipasabot namo sa ilaha kung naa ba ni sa among kultura isip lumad? Ang tinuod nga lumad dili manlimus (We try to let them discern whether this exodus is really part of their culture. The real lumads are not supposed to be beggars)," he said.

For this year, Lausan said Mambo-o's office is coordinating with all the tribes in the city in a bid to eliminate problems associated with the coming of lumads.

These problems include drunkenness, gambling, sexual inappropriateness, over-crowding, street accidents, and diseases.

Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio said the city is now devising plans on how to have a smoother exodus. (JOP)