KIDAPAWAN CITY (MindaNews / 4 Oct) – The tribal hall and conference center for the Manobos here is now open for business after the city government turned over the building on Wednesday.
The turnover took place just in time for the start of the Indigenous Peoples’ Month this October.
Mayor Joseph Evangelista, who led the ribbon cutting and blessing, said the tribal hall benefits the indigenous peoples (IP), who has a significant role to play in nation building, progress, and development.
The hall cost P10 million to build, half of which was taken from the congressional development fund (CDF) for 2019 of former Cotabato second district Rep. Nancy Alaan Catamco, and the rest came from the funds of Anac-IP partylist.
The tribal hall houses the office of Datu Camilo Icdang, who is the deputy mayor for the IP, a conference hall, and a meeting place for all sectors of the Manobos, including women and youth.
It is located at the heart of the city and inside the city government compound, which the mayor said is accessible to the Manobos once they attend meetings and conferences and if they want to visit their relatives and friends here.
Meantime, another P10-million tribal hall has been erected in nearby Makilala, North Cotabato. It is also funded by Catamco’s CDF for 2019, and the other half was taken from the funds of the Anakbayan partylist.
Catamco, when asked, said the infrastructure projects were built to cater to the IP’s needs and serve as proof that the government recognizes their important part in society. (Malu Cadelina Manar / MindaNews)