Sixty-two members of a Bajau community who had been living and scavenging on the streets of Iloilo have returned to Sulu with assistance from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
The group, composed of nine individuals and 17 families, was assisted after authorities found them begging and scavenging in Iloilo Province to support their families.
Following an assessment by the Iloilo provincial government, the beneficiaries were turned over to DSWD-Western Visayas before being referred to Sulu through the agency’s Pag-Abot Program.
The program facilitated their return and reintegration into their home communities, while the DSWD provided transportation, food and temporary accommodation during the journey.
On September 14, the beneficiaries also received livelihood assistance intended to help them establish more stable sources of income.
Hadja Jamila Arasid, innovations division chief of DSWD-Zamboanga Peninsula, said the assistance included motorized boats and engines, fuel and cash support. The aid is expected to help the beneficiaries resume fishing and pursue alternative livelihood activities.
Arasid said the Pag-Abot Program is designed not only to bring beneficiaries back to their communities but also to provide practical support for rebuilding their livelihoods.
“Pag-Abot is not just about rescue; it is about giving a second chance,” Arasid said.
She added that the boats and engines would give the beneficiaries the means to return to fishing and support their families.
DSWD personnel led by Arasid conducted the payout and distribution of the assistance in Sulu. The agency said it will continue monitoring the beneficiaries as they reintegrate into their communities and work toward more stable and sustainable livelihoods.
