BY GLENDA TAYONA & MAE SINGUAY
ILOILO City – Mendicant Badjaos are unwittingly pitting the cities of Iloilo and Bacolod against one another.
Iloilo City’s Mayor Jerry Treñas got mad after having been informed that the city government Bacolod supposedly shipped to Iloilo early morning on Friday via roll-on roll-off vessel around 80 Badjaos pestering Bacolod.
“We will not allow Iloilo City to be the dumping ground of Badjao families from Bacolod. Proper coordination is needed between local government units (LGUs),” stressed Treñas.
The Badjaos, widely known as “sea gypsies”, are an ethnic group scattered along the coastal areas of Tawi-Tawi, Sulu, Basilan, and some coastal municipalities of Zamboanga del Sur in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
Because of the conflict between Muslim separatists and government troops and the lack of livelihood opportunities, many Badjaos left Mindanao.
UNSATISFACTORY EXPLANATION?
At first, Bacolod City’s Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran who was also temporarily serving as acting mayor apologized and explained that there was no intention to make Iloilo a “dumping ground”.
“Wala ko kabalo kon may Dumangas-Mindanao trip. Ang nabal-an ko lang is Dumaguete-Zamboanga. But in fairness sa DSSD (Department of Social Services and Development of Bacolod City) nag-promise man ang Badjaos nga mapuli sila. Pero expect kita manaog sila sa Iloilo kay wala sila sinuptan kag mag-expect man ta in a month or two mabalik sila sa Bacolod,” he added.
Badjaos can be seen traipsing Iloilo City’s thoroughfares asking for alms from motorists, unmindful of their safety. They get into jeepneys and beg from the passengers. Some have envelopes with solicitation notes.
Familiaran admitted there were lapses on the part of the DSSD and acknowledged that indeed there was no proper coordination.
“I’m sorry. Wala intention ang Bacolod nga himuon dumping site sang mga Badjao ang Iloilo, only that may mga lapses ang Department of Social Services and Development kag indi na masulit ini. Waay gid sila sang coordination nga ginhimo,” said Familiaran.
The acting mayor said he even told the DSSD people they should have known better because sending Badjaos back to their places of origin had been done before.
Familarian also recalled a meeting with Bacolod’s Anti-Mendicancy Task Force on June 22 and admitted to have told them, “Expect kita nga ma-misinterpret kita, waay gid ko magsala.”
“Wala mausar ang protocol, gin-round up nila kag gindala sa BREDCO….I thought kabalo na ina sila (DSSD) kay una pa na sila sa akon da,” Familiaran said.
The apology and explanation of Familiaran did not set well with Treñas.
‘PERSONA NON GRATA’
“I am very disappointed with the lack of proper coordination on the part of Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran regarding this matter. As a leader himself, he is expected to observe proper measures as a sign of respect to other LGUs,” Treñas said.
Seeking accountability, Treñas said, “Therefore, I am declaring Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran persona non grata effective immediately. An executive order will be issued.”
‘STUPID’ VS ‘PULOK-PULOK’
The heated exchange of words sunk to name calling – using words like “stupid” and “pulok-pulok”.
Treñas said he “cannot think of how stupid a local government can become; they must resolve this issue themselves.”
“The stupidity of a government official is shown by the stupidity of his actions. I cannot imagine how stupid these officials have become,” he added.
Familiaran, on the other hand, after stating that he won’t stoop down to Treñas’ level, responded, “Respect begets respect. Tani nag-investigate ka anay antis ka nagpulok-pulok,” to which Treñas further responded, “No amount of replies will change the fact that the Badjaos are already here in Iloilo City and he was responsible for the same.”
BADJAO ROUNDUP
Amid the “word war,” Treñas instructed Public Safety and Transportation Management Office (PSTMO) head Jeck Conlu to round up the Badjaos and sent them back to Bacolod City.
Yesterday afternoon, Conlu said they received information that some of the Badjaos dispersed to nearby towns but Iloilo City was their preferred “final destination.”
“I don’t know kon nagsala lang sila pero kon maghambal kita “papulion”, ang Iloilo indi man ya ruta pakadto sa Mindanao. Ang ruta pakadto sa Mindanao dira ya sa Negros, Bacolod pakadto Dumaguete pakadto Dipolog,” said Conlu.
He said after rounding up the Badjaos, they will be assisted by the City Social Welfare and Development Office to the trip back to Bacolod City.
In Iloilo City, giving and begging alms are punishable under City Regulation Ordinance 2002-400.
Mendicant Badjaos have been frequenting Western Visayas, particularly the cities of Bacolod and Iloilo, for years and they have been routinely rounded up and sent back to their home provinces./PN
