DAVAO City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio discouraged indigenous peoples (IPs) from far-flung areas to roam around the city to carol and beg for money along the streets this Christmas.
Duterte-Carpio said in a radio interview Monday, November 29, that they will not stop IP families from visiting during Christmas despite the threat of Covid-19.
"Mamasko para musuroy, wala ta ga-discourage. Ang gina-discourage nato para sa atong mga IP is that ang mamalimos or magsuroy-suroy para mangayo (We do not discourage them to the city for leisure this Christmas. What we discourage from our IPs is that they would roam around from one place to another begging for money)," the mayor said in an interview on 87.5 FM Davao City Disaster Radio.
She said the City, through the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO), conducts social welfare activities for certain groups of individuals "that are known to be on the streets" during the Holidays.
She added that the city CSWDO coordinated with the Municipal Social Welfare Development Officer of an undisclosed local government unit to rescue some these people back to their areas.
"We would appreciate feedback sa mga tao kung duna silay makita nga mga ingon ana, nga ipahibalo sa atoa (from the public about people who may need rescuing by reporting it) through our Davao City Reports na (social media) page para ma-actionan dayon siya sa CSWDO because limited lang ang atong (so that CSWDO would take action because we have a limited) manpower, and they cover the entire urban area of Davao City og pinangita sa mga individuals nga nagapanglimos (to look for individuals begging on the streets)," Duterte-Carpio said.
In a Facebook post by the Davao City Police Office-Women and Children Protection Desk on Saturday, November 27, a total of 30 individuals, including five minors, were rescued and sent back to Kapalong in Davao del Norte after they were caught sleeping outside a building along Cabaguio Street.
Last year, the City Government delivered gifts to several families in the hinterlands.
This is part of the city's "Pasko Fiesta" annual tradition. Pasko Fiesta is the City Government's yearly month-long Christmas festival.
Duterte-Carpio, however, said the City Government has yet to discuss if it will still be having a gift-giving activity this year.
In a recent SunStar Davao report in October this year, CSWDO head lawyer Marlisa Gallo reminded Dabawenyos to report children caroling in subdivisions or any other places.
Gallo said her office had been receiving reports of children caroling from one house to another.
Although the city's Alert Level 2 status currently allows minors from going outside their residences, Duterte-Carpio still discourages minors from going out considering the majority of them are still unvaccinated.