People urged not to give alms
The City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) has called on residents to stop giving alms to anyone because this might even result in accidents.
Julie Dayaday, CSWDO supervising administrative officer, said giving alms to anyone, including members of the indigenous community, may cost lives to these people begging for loose changes.
“Ang kanang atong ginahatag nga baynte pesos sa ilaha, kung muhatag man tag baynte pesos, pero maligsan man galing sobra pa sa bayte pesos ang ilang magasto,” Dayaday said as she expected that during the Yuletide season, where giving of presents is considered a good act, giving of alms must be done properly by coordinating with agencies mandated of doing these actions as well as consider the welfare of the receivers.
“Nindot man gyud magpasko kay pasko man gyud, this is the time for giving and sharing but the risk wala ni siya nakita sa atoang mga igsuong lumad. Ang ilaha lang nga makadawat sila og pamasko but ang risgo, wala na nila nakita, mao bitaw ang panawagan sa atoang kaigsoonan kay naa man ta’y anti-mendicancy law kung pwede dili lang gyud ta muhatag sa ilaha didto sa dalan, ,” she said even as she noted that some of members of the indigenous communities that have arrived in the city were from neighboring areas.
Last November 19, the office coordinated with the municipal governments of Talaingod in Davao del Norte and Laak in Davao de Oro in bringing back home the residents of these areas who went to the city to beg.
Dayaday said that she advised the Municipal Social Welfare and Development Officers (MSWDOs) of these municipalities to encourage the IPs through their leaders not to go to their neighboring cities during Christmas.
