Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte on Saturday pressed the Department of Social Welfare and Development to provide assistance to indigenous people (IP) roaming around the city after receiving reports that some of them are begging for alms.

Belmonte said, groups of Badjao from Batangas and Pampanga provinces have moved to the city and turned to begging in the streets after their houses were supposedly destroyed by Typhoon "Rolly."

"Last night, I received a report that there is a group of Badjaos asking for alms in Novaliches. That's why I instructed the SSDD (Social Services and Development Department) and Novaliches District Center to check on them lalo na't delikado ngayong hindi pa tapos ang pandemya (especially now that there is still pandemic)," Belmonte said.

"They are going to our city, trying their luck to ask for help because their houses were destroyed by Typhoon Rolly. That's why we are asking the DSWD to address their concerns so they would no longer need to go here because it's very dangerous to go around the streets, especially they have children in tow. They are very much exposed to all the hazards," she added in mixed English and Filipino.

Although the city government already rescued about 34 IPs from the streets, Belmonte still called on the national government to immediately address their concerns.

"For now, they are temporarily housed in Bgy. Santa Monica. They are undergoing interviews from our social workers. They will also be checked by the City Health Department and will undergo rapid testing," William Bawag, Action Office of Novaliches District Center, said.

Once they are found negative for COVID-19, the IPs will be sent back to their provinces and will be processed by the Quezon City government.