ILOILO City – By the time this report hits the streets, 59 mendicant Badjaos here would have reached Cagayan de Oro City in Mindanao.
They were scheduled to leave Iloilo City at 2 a.m. today via a 2Go vessel. The city government of Iloilo had been gathering them for deportation these past few days.
Of the 59 Badjaos, 32 were adults, 13 were between seven to 17 years old and 14 were below seven years old, according to the city government’s Public Safety and Transportation Management Office (PSTMO) head Jeck Conlu.
Mayor Jose Espinosa III approved the budget for the Badjaos’ deportation – P2,000 each released through the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO). The amount covered each Badjao’s trip ticket and food.
From Cagayan de Oro City, they would be bused to Zamboanga then to Jolo, Sulu, said Conlu.
The deportation was in coordination with the Department of Social Welfare and Development in Cagayan de Oro City, Zamboanga and Jolo.
“They were ready to receive the Badjaos back,” said Conlu.
In this “one time, big time” operation against mendicant Badjaos, according to Conlu, the goal was to send the back straight to Mindanao; no more stopover of the ship in Bacolod City where they previously jumped ship and returned to Iloilo City.
The city government tapped the help of the Philippine Coast Guard.
Just this July PSTMO rounded up several Badjaos. However, Conlu said, because they were transported through a roll on, roll off ship that made a stopover in Bacolod City, the Badjaos managed to sneak back to Iloilo.
“This time derecho na ang biyahe nila from Iloilo to Mindanao,” said Conlu.
The PSTMO chief said the Badjaos themselves suggested this.
“Based sa interview sa ila, indi sila kapuli derecho kay wala sila kwarta. Pag abot sa Bacolod malayo pa. Hambal nila kon pwede derechohon na lang gid sila papuli sa Mindanao para indi na sila kuno magbalik,” said Conlu.
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, said Conlu.
This southern metropolis is peaceful and its people are kind and gentle. These are what make it attractive to Badjaos, according to Conlu.
“They told us it was chaotic from where they came from. Here they found peace and nobody’s bothering them,” said Conlu.
On Nov. 10, 2017 Mayor Jose Espinosa III ordered the PSTMO to round up the roaming Badjaos.
“Kun mangayo-ngayo sila nagapamilit pa kag nagapamutong, kalaw-ay gid (They force people to give them alms, it’s disgusting),” said Espinosa who admitted that regulating the entry of Badjao beggars to the city would be difficult.
Begging and giving alms to beggars are punishable under City Regulation Ordinance 2002-400.
Mendicants are liable to fines of P500, imprisonment of not more than a year, or both fine and imprisonment. On the other hand, giving to beggars is punishable by a fine of P500 or community service.
“They also defecate anywhere. Public health and sanitation are being compromised,” said Espinosa./PN
