DAVAO ORIENTAL—In the bid to provide much-needed infrastructure to the barangays and to key sectors, the Provincial Government recently led the turn-over of a new multipurpose building to villagers of Barangay Don Salvador Lopez and the groundbreaking of an Indigenous People’s Tribal Hall in Barangay Dahican in the City of Mati.
On Saturday, November 30, Governor Nelson Dayanghirang led the turn-over of the newly completed multipurpose building cum evacuation center in Barangay Don Salvador Lopez in the City of Mati.
The new building amounting to P3 million funded through loan proceeds from the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) is being touted as earthquake-resistant facility which can also be utilized as an evacuation center in times of disasters.
However, as the facility still lacks other features that are standard to the unified design of multipurpose building constructed in all recipient barangays, Governor Dayanghirang said that he will allocate additional P1 million next year for the construction of its stage with toilet and bath, landscaping, and rubberized painting.
Meanwhile, Governor Dayanghirang also led the groundbreaking ceremony of a two-story Indigenous People’s Tribal Hall soon to rise at the Government Center in Dahican, City of Mati.
Amounting to a total of P6 Million funded through the Local Government Development Fund (LDGF), the building’s ground floor will consist of a conference room, offices, comfort rooms with shower, and reception lobby. The top floor, on the other hand, will house an office and two guest rooms.
“This 2-storey IP center is the biggest dormitory in government center with floor area of 147 square meters. This will be completed within 2020,” said OIC Provincial Engineer Engr. Ruel Dumadag.
As the project’s budget is only intended for the structure itself, Governor Dayanghirang said he will look for additional funding for its furnishings.
“I want the project to start by 2020, and by 2021 this should already be fully operational,” he said.
A government facility where guests from far-flung areas can stay, Governor Dayanghirang said he will implement a scheme to defray the operational cost of the facility.
“I like this facility because this will become a dormitory for IPMRs who come here in the City of Mati. But to make it sustainable, the guest must pay a certain amount for the maintenance operation of the dormitory. That is just a very small amount compared to the room rates in the local hotels here,” the governor said.
Expressing his gratitude to the Governor, Boston Vice Mayor Eleuterio Manaytay, who is also the Provincial Tribal Chieftain, said that the project is a manifestation of the governor’s passion of uplifting the lives of the Mandaya tribes who are mostly denied of the basic government services due to their geographic location from the economic center.
Under Governor Dayanghirang’s Inclusive Governance Framework, all sectors, including the Mandaya and Jama’ah Muslim Communities, are given priority as they are recognized as partners in development.
“IP rights is being recognized in the province of Davao Oriental. Although it is being recognized in other adjacent provinces, but they don’t have Inclusive Governance. Through Inclusive Governance, we are being included and considered as partners in the development of our province that is why we have the all-out support of our governor,” said Vice Mayor Manaytay.
National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) Provincial Officer Julius Mabini also underscored the importance of the structure in preserving the tribe’s culture. He said it will become the center where all Indigenous Peoples Mandatory Representatives (IPMRs) can meet and formulate plan for the whole Mandaya communities.
“This is a huge effort from the Provincial Government under the leadership of Governor Dayanghirang to put in place the plans and programs of the whole tribe. This is where all the plans for the Indigenous Mandaya community will be created, this is where the tribe’s future lies,” said Mabini. By Riza M. Golez/ Photos by Eden Jhan Licayan
