DAVAO CITY—The local government of Davao continues to provide temporary shelter and medical attention to homeless foreign nationals in Davao City while they await repatriation and assistance from their respective embassies.
Aside from the three foreigners—the German Peter Muhamburg (German) and the Americans Hoyll Caldwell and Ronald Kennedy Jr.—who have been placed in the care of the City Social Services and Development (CSSDO) after a series of misfortunes, an Australian has sought refuge in the CSSDO center.
According to Juenalyn Morgia of CSSDO, 52-year-old Mervyn James Edwards refused to go back to Australia despite his embassy’s interventions. Edwards said he wanted to work as a city government doctor. He reportedly left the center after a fight with two other expats.
Morgia said Edwards still goes to the center for a meal and frequents two popular fast food restaurants for Wi-Fi connection for his laptop.
Meanwhile, Muhamburg, 52, who recently sought the help of a local radio station and earned sponsorship for his plane fare to Manila, had his hopes cut short because the German Embassy delayed his trip for lack of a facility in Manila to accommodate him. He is waiting for the embassy’s conclusive response to the airfare request.
Though his embassy has notified his immediate relatives, they have not expressed willingness to financially support his homecoming, thus, the indefinite extension of his stay in the city.
Muhamburg was rescued while roaming the city for days — distraught and hungry. He suffered depression and even attempted suicide after he broke up with his girlfriend from the Island Garden City of Samal.
Caldwell, 66, was already referred to the city-run Home for the Aged while awaiting a response from the US Embassy.
Sick and bedridden Caldwell, who was kicked out from an inn after failing to pay the rent for two months, had his pension suspended by the US government.
On the other hand, Kennedy, Jr., 51, is set to fly back home where a job as a doorman awaits him in Illinois after the US Embassy sent a positive reply by providing a plane ticket.
Kennedy, Jr. was sent to jail after his Dabawenya girlfriend accused him of beating her.
The CSSDO said that though these foreigners are not the usual clients the city caters to, they could not just turn their back on them.
“They are being afforded their basic needs, including referrals to the City Health Office for their check-up and provision of medication,” CSSDO action officer Minda Silvano was quoted in the earlier report.
She said the CSSDO is closely coordinating with the concerned embassies, through the Department of Social Welfare and Development, to facilitate the four foreigners’ repatriation.
