‘YOU CAN’T BE HERE’: Mayor says Badjaos are unwelcome in Iloilo City

By Joseph Bernard A. Marzan

Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas on Monday restated the city government’s tough stance on nomads from Mindanao after some of them were transported from Bacolod City recently, triggering a verbal row between him and Vice Mayor Elcid Familiaran.

Shortly after the city government’s flag ceremony, Treñas confirmed to the media that they continue to round up Badjaos or indigenous people from Mindanao after 74 out of 80 of them were sent back to Bacolod City.

The Badjaos arrived in Iloilo City Friday last week via roll-on-roll-off vessel from Bacolod upon arrangements by the Bacolod City government’s Department of Social Services and Development (DSSD).

“There are still remaining Badjaos here, we are still gathering them, the [City Social Welfare and Development Office], the [Public Safety and Transportation Management Office], and [Executive Assistant for Indigenous Peoples] Hector Alejano haven’t reported back to us. They haven’t slept since gathering them and boarding them,” the mayor said.

Treñas sternly reiterated the city government’s long-held position on these mendicant nomads, saying that they do not contribute to the city.

Prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic, the city government had been regularly rounding up the Badjaos and sending them back to Zamboanga.

Treñas previously alleged that there may be a syndicate organizing their transport to the city.

“We will not allow them to come here because they do not have work [here]. As much as possible, they should understand that if they come here, we will send them back. Their strategy is to look out on the roads, seek alms, and if we don’t give, they throw things. We cannot allow that,” he said.

As to whether he would recall Executive Order No. 083 series of 2023, which declared Bacolod City Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran as ‘persona non grata’ in the city, he said that he would only do so if the latter apologized.

Familiaran was acting mayor for the Badjaos’ transport to Iloilo City, but he blamed the DSSD in interviews with local media.

“I haven’t heard any apology from him. I don’t [have anything to say to him]. [Familiaran] has said a lot. I don’t know what he wants to say with those [statements]. I’m okay already,” Treñas said.

The mayor said that they will continue to round up mendicants here, saying that it “puts to waste” the work done by the city government’s street-level workers.

A mendicant is defined by Presidential Decree No. 1563 as any person who has no visible and legal means of support, or lawful employment and who is physically able to work but neglects to apply himself to some lawful calling and instead uses begging as a means of living.