The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) condemns the hooligan acts of  Barug Katawhan and its supporters for the senseless destruction of government property and the stealing of relief goods in its Regional  Office in Davao City.

In the morning of February 26, members of Barug Katawhan and allied groups bearing the banners of Anak Pawis, Gabriela, KMP and KMU destroyed the gate of DSWD Region 11 office and forced their way inside the premises. They carted off sacks of rice and cartons of sardines, and protesters even went up the second and third floors of the building, shouting and threatening DSWD employees. The relief goods seized by the protesters had been allocated for victims of typhoon ‘Cresing’ in Davao del Norte. The DSWD Region 11 staff are now looking if there are other lost items in their offices.

Invitation to Talk

Earlier, DSWD Regional Director Prescilla Razon had invited the group to sit down for a dialogue.  Tents were set up in front of the office for the rallyists, who were invited to register and be interviewed so their needs can be responded to.  However, the rallyists refused to engage the DSWD regional staff and instead blocked all the gates of the DSWD regional office.  The group ignored Razon’s call for a dialogue; instead they aggressively destroyed the gates, forcibly entered the DSWD Region 11 premises, and stole goods intended for relief operations.

Barug Katawhan’s Cause

The day before, February 25, about 300 people organized by Barug Katawhan started a picket (February 25) at 5 pm. Congressman Teddy Casino addressed the group.

It can be recalled that Barug Katawhan blocked  the national highway of Compostela Valley last  January 15, 2013. In the negotiations with their leaders,  DSWD Secretary Dinky Soliman agreed to provide 10,000 sacks of rice to people that Barug Katawhan claimed to have been deprived of government service. The sacks of rice will be made available as soon as Barug Katawhan provides DSWD with the list of beneficiaries, the places where they come from, the distribution plan and  focal persons from Barug Katawhan with whom the DSWD will coordinate. To date, however, despite consistent requests for the distribution list, Barug Katawhan has failed to provide the intended list of beneficiaries.  What was submitted to DSWD  was a list of repacking areas and the names of people who agreed to have these places used as distribution site. DSWD has checked with at least two of those in the alleged list, and they denied that they agreed to have their places used as repacking areas.

DSWD’s Action

DSWD is committed to serving the victims of the typhoon Pablo and the qualified beneficiaries of government programs in Region XI.  As explained to Barug Katawhan and other organizations that are supporting to group, the promised 10,000 sacks of rice can be made readily available but there has to be a system of ensuring that these will go to qualified beneficiaries.  DSWD is willing to hold dialogues and coordinate with Barug Katawhan and the groups they represent.  The regional office staff is waiting for the distribution list so that they can immediately do the validation and assessment to ensure that the needs of affected families will be responded to.

“We are very saddened by these acts of aggression directed at our Field Office, as well as our personnel.  DSWD has been faithfully serving all sectors affected by the calamity.  Our people work 24 hours a day, seven days a week to provide much-needed services. We respond to the exigency of public service at great cost to ourselves and our families.  That we are now being subjected to harassment is deplorable.  This will leave us no choice but to pursue legal action against those who are responsible,” said Secretary Corazon ‘Dinky’ Soliman.

The DSWD Secretary appealed to the leadership of Barug Katawhan and its allied groups not to use the people for their own political agenda. “We are willing to resolve these issues, and serve those who are in need.  We need not engage in counter-productive propaganda war,” Sec. Soliman said. ### (Reposted from the DSWD Central Office website)