(BADJAOS BEGGING. Out of Mabalacat City, still in the City of San Fernando. Photo by Bong Lacson)
MABALACAT CITY – A total of 67 Badjao families that migrated here seven years ago are now back in their hometown in Zamboanga City.
Josephine Tanglao, chief of the City Social Welfare and Development (CSWD), said some P2.7 million was spent for the repatriation of the Badjao families numbering some 300 individuals.
She said the cost included transportation, food and accommodation for the CSWD staff that accompanied them to Zamboanga City.
Tanglao said each family also received P10,000 from the city government.
She said the Badjao families left this city for their hometown on May 20 accompanied by a number of CSWD staff and on May 22 arrived in Zamboanga City.
On May 25, Tanglao said all CSWD staff that went to Zamboanga returned home. The Badjaos were the original inhabitants of Zamboanga and the Sulu Archipelago.
Sometime in 2010, the Badjao families came here and settled near the dike in Barangay Tabun, the northern most village in this city. But some started begging on the streets.
Singer, composer and artist extraordinaire Siegfried “Isagani” T. Ranada, who hails from the landed gentry in this city, took in the Badjao families and allowed them to settle on their property. Soon a shanty town emerged from their impromptu settlement.
Ranada initially resisted the repatriation but realized the sincerity of the city government to help them, Tanglao said.
“We treated them fairly and humanely,” she said. “We really helped them,” she added.
Tanglao said the CSWD worked for the social preparation before, during and after the repatriation to make sure the Badjao families will be in good hands. Prior coordination was also made with the Department of Social Welfare and Development Region IX in Zamboanga, she said.
Upon their arrival in Zamboanga, they were turned over to their respective social welfare and development officers, she added.
Tanglao praised Mayor Cris C. Garbo whom she acknowledged as showing a strong political will in repatriating the Badjao families back to their hometown.
Tanglao said Barangay Tabun is now being developed and the Badjao families are happy because for the first time they said they were treated humanely.
