about 12,000 families leaving Davao today

about 12,000 families leaving Davao today

Since the beginning of December the lumad are back in Davao.( With lumad one thinks of about the 17 groups of indigenous people who live in the mountains around Davao.) Just as every year - since 2007 - they were brought from the  City Social Services and Development (CSSDO)  office in Davao City  to celebrate the Christmas season and to ask  the inhabitants for Christmas gifts. "Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!". It is an officially allowed  begging.

The city provides them with sleeps in the 8  basketball arenas and fed them all the time. Also medical care is provided. You can hear them  from afar with their guitars brand "yourself" and with the drums, stretched with  a string  and beat  it in a crazy rhythm .

This year there were almost 12,000 Lumad families = 40,000 people, some in old costumes . And there were about 2,000 families  more than last year. Today, December 26, they are brought back again by trucks and a big Christmas celebration will take place - as it is common. "It's more fun in the Philippines!"

With best regards,

Ludwig from Davao