More than 300 rescued IPs in NCR went back to their provinces —DSWD exec

At least 300 Sama Bajau indigenous peoples (IPs) who were rescued from the streets of the National Capital Region (NCR) have reached their hometowns in Zamboanga, Sulu and Basilan, an official of the Department of Social Welfare and Development said on Saturday. 

"Mahigit 300 na Sama Bajau na ang naihatid na sa kanilang pinagmulan sa Mindanao," DSWD Undersecretary Edu Punay said in an interview on Dobol B TV.

(More than 300 Sama Bajaus were already brought to their hometowns in Mindanao.)

"May ilan pang mahigit 100 Badjao na nasa Jose Fabella Center at pinoproseso na ang kanilang pag-uwi," he added.

(There are more than 100 Badjaos at Jose Fabella Center being processed so they can go home as well.

Punay said the rescue operation targeting IPs roaming NCR streets begging for alms has been ongoing for three weeks now.

"Three weeks nang ongoing ang ating rescue at reach out operation sa ating mga kapatid na IPs, mga katutubo na nagtutungo sa Metro Manila," he said.

(Our rescue and reach out operations to our IP brothers and sisters who have gone here to Metro Manila have been ongoing for the past three weeks.)

Punay said the DSWD is coordinating with local government units (LGUs) since these have primary jurisdiction in rescue operations.

Majority of the rescued IPs are Badjaos, he said. There were a few Aetas too, Punay added.

Each rescued IP family is given P10,000 as one-time cash aid to discourage them from begging in the streets.

“Bago po natin papauwiin, bibigyan natin sila ng mga ayuda na P10,000 bawat pamilya. Para 'yun po ang gamitin nila bilang pangkabuhayan nila,” DSWD Secretary Erwin Tulfo earlier said.

(Before we let them go to the provinces, we’ll give each family P10,000 cash aid so they can use it for their livelihood.)

"Ang aspiration natin ay hindi na kailangang lumuwas ng mga IP para makahanap ng pera pambili ng kanilang pagkain at pangangailangan," Punay added on Saturday.

(Our aspiration is that the IPs would not need to go to cities to look for money to buy food and meet their needs.)

The DSWD official said syndicates have taken advantage of IPs and brought them to NCR so they can beg on the streets.

"Mayroon talagang mapagsamantalang grupo o sindikato na sinasamantala ang kalagayan ng mga IP," Punay said.

(There are groups or syndicates taking advantage of IPs.)

Punay said one major challenge with the IPs is that most of them do not have birth records and IDs.

"Kailangan natin ng close coordination at collaboration not only with the LGUs, with the barangays but also with their tribal leaders, yung mga chieftains sa mga tribes nila. Sila ang nakakakilala sa kanilang mga miyembro at nag-a-identify po sa mga pami-pamilya niyan," he said.

(We need close coordination and collaboration not only with the LGUs, with the barangays, but also with their tribal leaders, the chieftains of their tribes. They are the ones who know who their members are and can identify the families.)

Punay said the DSWD is planning to have a long-term solution to this. 

"This month we'll be forging a memorandum of agreement with DILG and PSA para mag-roll out tayo ng nationwide birth registration ng mga IPs," he said.

(This month we'll be forging a memorandum of agreement with the [Department of the Interior and Local Government] and the [Philippine Statistics Authority] so we can roll out a nationwide birth registration of IPs.) —KG, GMA Integrated News