The Davao City Social Welfare and Development Office ensures no indigenous peoples will be left behind this Christmas with the expanded coverage of gift-giving for IP communities.
CSWDO Officer-In-Charge Julie P. Dayaday, in an interview on Monday with the Davao City Disaster Radio, said that for this year their office is poised to give gifts to IPs not included in their previous listing.
“Naa ta’y 59,637 families nga atoang beneficiary para sa atoang pasko fiesta sa atoang mga IPs, kana sila ang makadawat sa grocery packs nga five packs per family (We have 59,637 beneficiary-families for the Pasko Fiesta for our IPs, these are those who will receive grocery packs, five packs per family),” Dayaday said.
She said that they increased the target number of families from the 30, 983 IP families in 2022.
“Last year man gud naa’y daghan tang mga IPs nga na-left behind diay so karon gi-incorporate nato sila karon nga tuig (Last year we have IPs who were left behind, so this year we already incorporated them),” Dayaday said.
According to her, each family will receive a total of five food packs. Each pack contains three kilograms of rice, one pack of coffee, one kilogram of sugar, bihon, sardines, and a fruit cocktail.
This year, they ensured that the delivery of the food packs will be per barangay to bring the food packs closer and more accessible to the IPs as they have noted before that distribution at district centers poses a risk to IPs who travel away from home and leave their families behind.
Based on practice, the distribution is also coupled with other activities for fun.
Dayaday also apologized in advance to some sectoral groups that will not receive their share of food packs this year as compared to the previous year as they prioritize the giving of food packs to IPs
“Kadtong una ato ra gyud gihatagan atong Paquibato, Marilog, and Baguio, duha lang biya ka barangay sa Baguio pero naa man gyud ni arise nga concern nganong dili apil ang uban ato to siyang gitubag sa pagkakaron ang atong mga sectoral group wala sa naapil kay gihatagan nato og focus atong mga IPs (Before, we only give food packs to [IPs of] Paquibato, Marilog and only two barangays in Baguio but a concern arose why other barangays in Baguio are not included, so this is what we are addressing. The sectoral groups are not included because we gave focus to the IPs),” Dayaday said.
The distribution of food packs started on November 30, 2023, in Baguio District. A distribution at Calinan district was also conducted on December 4, 2023, Monday. CIO