AN official from the Davao City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) said they continue to discourage the lumad or indigenous people (IP) and children from caroling along the streets to avoid accidents.
It can be observed that during the holiday seasons, IPs from Davao City and other parts of the region come to the downtown area of the city to beg or go to some residential areas to carol. Children can also be observed singing carols to jeepney passengers when the traffic light turns red.
For IPs, Julie Dayaday, Supervising Administrative Officer of CSWDO, said in an interview on the Davao City Disaster Radio on November 10, 2022 that they have reminded the IP communities that they do not have to come to Davao City to beg or carol along the streets.
“Kita na gyud gasaka ug mohatod sa ilahang mga food packs. Naa pud tay activities didto (We will be the ones who will go to their communities and deliver food packs. We also prepared activities for them),” Dayaday.
Meanwhile, Dayaday said they are coordinating with the Department of Social Welfare and Development and other local government units with regard to IPs who traveled to Davao City. Some of the LGUs they are working with are Davao del Norte and Sta. Cruz in Davao del Sur.
“Naa man gud ni sila dire sa Davao, unya nakita nato nga naay mga bata. Sila atoang mga concern kay basin mangaligsan, wala’y proper nga pagtulog and hygiene (Some of them are here with their child. Some of them do not have a proper place to sleep and lack hygiene. We also want to protect them from vehicle accidents),” Dayaday said.
Meanwhile, Davao City Police Office (DCPO) Spokesperson Major Catherine dela Rey said in an interview with SunStar Davao on November 10, 2022, they are monitoring the streets for children who are street caroling.
“Ubay-ubay na ang atoang na-rescue under sa Sagop Kabataan. Kung naay maka-report sa amoa nga naay mga bata nga pagala-gala, ginarescue nato na sila (We already rescured several children through our Sagop Kabataan. If we receive reports about children wandering the streets, we will rescue them),” Dela Rey said.
Dela Rey said commuters may report children caroling along the streets so that they will be able to rescue them and send them back home. KSD