The Department of Social Welfare and Development-Davao Region (DSWD-Davao) is coordinating with neighboring municipalities to address the presence of Indigenous Peoples (IPs) engaged in begging in Davao City, according to DSWD-Davao officials.
DSWD Social Technology Unit-Social Welfare Officer 2 Crystal Mae Econ said that she visited Talaingod and Kapalong to liaise with local officials and understand why IPs were coming to the city.
Econ said that Davao City notified the Local Government Unit (LGU) of Kapalong about the rising number of IPs from their jurisdiction begging on the city's streets. However, during a rescue operation, they were unable to locate any IP members. As a result, they requested DSWD to establish a master list of IPs to verify their origin, ensuring more successful operations in the future.
Meanwhile, the municipality of Sta. Cruz, Davao del Norte expressed willingness to rescue members of the Badjao tribe begging in Toril, Davao City, on the condition tha