THE SABOKAHAN Women Indigenous Group expressed alarm over the continued practice of begging in the city involving Indigenous Peoples (IPs).
In a press conference at Coffee at Yellow Hauz on Monday, Sabokahan vice chair Kat Dalon these IPs resort to begging on the streets due to ancestral land reclamation and militarization in their community.
“Subay sa naistorya namo, ang uban naggikan sa bakwit sa Haran sauna, unya tungod sa militarisasyon, ug pagpangatake sa organisasyon, nibalik sila sa komunidad, unya walay pagbag-o, mas naga-lala ang militarisasyon ug pagpangilog sa yuta,” Dalon said.
She stressed due to the economic crisis the IPs are experiencing in their homeland, they would rather go caroling in exchange for money to buy their needs.
“Kinahanglan gyud depensahan ang yutang kabilin, kay kung dili madepensahan, kung akron naay mga lumad mamasko dinhi sa lungsod, bisan wala na sa among kultura, puhon mao gyud na ang kaugmaon kung mawala ang among yuta,” she added.
Dalon highlighted that militarization is still rampant in Talaingod, Davao del Norte, hence most IPs from the area continue begging on the streets of Bankerohan here.
The City Social Welfare and Development Office reported that in 2023, around 1,395 visiting IPs were profiled at the Mahayag Evacuation Center in Bunawan District, 970 were adults, and 425 were children.
In the 2023 data, most of the IPs out of 411 families, are from Talaingod with 639 adults and 279 children. Meanwhile, 153 were from Kapalong town of the same province.
