DAVAO CENTRAL College (DCC) partnered with the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) XI and the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) XI for the Grassroots Innovation for Inclusive Development (GRIND) for Smart and Sustainable Cities and Communities.
During the Kapehan sa Dabaw on Sept. 9, DCC research director Dr. Della Grace Bacaltos, PIA XI regional director Rene V. Carbayas, and NCIP XI regional director Geroncio Aguio signed the memorandum of understanding of the program with activities to support the 10 to 15 IP students of DCC. The GRIND program will run until March 2025.
In an interview with Dr. Della Grace Bacaltos, the program aimed to provide the IP students with capacity building in training the students with their creative projects, plastic waste management awareness, and an upcoming training for communication skills development in October.
“We are even crafting a proposal on establishing an Indigenous Knowledge Center in DCC so that all of the IP students can really be considered in future projects. But right now for the GRIND, we are already considering 10 to 15 IP students,” Bacaltos said.
She also shared that the selected IP students are mostly from the Bagobo Tagabawa tribe with others from the Obu Manuvu tribe. DCC currently has an IP population of 15 to 20% enrolled at the campus.
Meanwhile, Aguio said that the GRIND program will also help IPs with wealth management and economic development. He elaborated that the NCIP’s director now is on wealth management considering that IP communities own more than 50% of the land in Region XI.
“So kailangan talaga ang maraming innovation on how to make the IP responsive in developing their land because while they own more than 50 percent of the land, they are among the lowest in poverty level,” Aguio said.
Aguio hopes that the GRIND project will help contribute to the IP’s development and the enrichment of the IP community in the country.
