Lumad groups camp out at DSWD’s doorstep

INQUIRER PHOTO

Around 70 lumad or members of indigenous groups from southern Mindanao started camping out on Tuesday outside the central office of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in Quezon City, where they received assurance of aid for their communities.

Following a dialogue on Wednesday, Social Welfare Secretary Judy Taguiwalo promised to speed up assistance to their “bakwit” communities in Regions 10 and 11. Bakwit refers to evacuees who have fled from their homes due to the increasing presence of government troops and insurgency forces.

Kerlan Fanagel of the Pasaka Confederation of Lumad Organizations in Southern Mindanao said they were looking at creating a task force to address the issues they raised.

According to Fanagel, over 1,000 lumad have remained in evacuation centers since 2014 due to the “militarization” of their areas, affecting their neighborhoods and schools.

Most of the aid they receive comes from church groups and nongovernmental organizations, he added.

Fanagel pointed out that the little help they get from the government usually comes in form of doleouts, such as conditional cash transfers and cash or food-for-work programs, which he said were not sustainable.

How long the lumad camp would stay depends on the outcome of their dialogues with the DSWD, he added.