DAVAO CITY — Davao City Mayor Sara Z. Duterte-Carpio wants the internally displaced persons (IDPs) from Marawi City to stay in the city until everything is cleared and the rehabilitation is ongoing.
Duterte-Carpio explained that she wants to make sure that these people will be stable upon their return to their city.
“Sa pagka-karon, wala pay na put-up nga infrastructure, I don’t think duna sila’y livelihood pagbalik nila didto (For now, no infrastructure is being established there, I don’t think they will have a livelihood if they return home),” the city mayor said.
Duterte-Carpio said the city will coordinate with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in their region for some arrangements for their return.
“The same way nga gi-assist sa pagsulod nila, i-assist usab sila pagbalik nila (The same way that if we assisted them when they come here in the city, we will also assist them when they go back),” she said.
The mayor said the City Social Services and Development Office (CSSDO) already discouraged some of the 479 IDP not to go home yet due to this reason.
“We do not think that Marawi is the place that can accommodate them as of this time,” she said.
Duterte-Carpio said she advised these displaced persons to wait for the completion of the rehabilitation. The city has become a war zone after ISIS-inspired Maute group took over for several months.
Earlier, DSWD 11 spokesperson Carmela Duron, said that their office will give the assistance but they need to secure a certification first from the local government of Marawi City or from official of Philippine National Police or Armed Forces of the Philippines in the area.
Duron said these IDPs don’t need to go to Marawi City just to get the said requirement because they can still get it through email, social media or through fax.
This requirement is really needed for them to claim the assistance that the agency will be given to them such as transportation allowance to IDP who will be returning home, she said. (Armando B. Fenequito Jr./PNA)
