The April 4 fire that left 3,000 families homeless along Quezon Boulevard included 200 families belonging to the indigenous people called Badjaos.
Six days after one of the country's biggest fire this year leveled off an islet here, the city government announced that the informal settlers - or squatter families - would still be allowed to return but only after rehabilitation works would have ensured good access roads and safer electrical lines in the area.
The human rights group Karapatan here has blamed the deployment of several Philippine Army battalions in the Davao Region for evacuation and complaints of alleged harassment of villagers in the hinterlands.
DAVAO CITY (7TH UPDATE)— Tropical Depression Domeng has weakened slightly while remaining quasi-stationary over the South Philippine Sea during the past 12 hours but continues to be a disorganized system…
“Ang gusto gyud ni mayor unta kung pwede mubalik ang mga Lumad og mga evacuees didto sa Brgy.Palma Gil, didto sa safe area nato, dayun i-assure ni mayor ang pagkaon og tanan makaya ihatag sa gobyerno. (The mayor wants the Lumad evacuees to return to Barangay Palma Gil, in a safe place. The Mayor also assures that there would be food and other relief goods to be provided for them),” Tocmo told the leaders.