THE SHELTER for Indigenous People (IP) set to be established in Southern Philippines Medical Center is eyed to rise in 2025, city IP mandatory representative revealed on Tuesday.
During the Aprubado sa Konseho on Nov. 5, Councilor Rodolfo Mande, the indigenous people’s mandatory representative, said the construction will start later this year.
“We are manifesting the groundbreaking ceremony this November,” Mande added.
“If the construction will start before the year ends, it will take about six months, so the construction will rise in 2025,” he added.
The councilor said the construction delay was attributed to technical issues including the finalization of the building design.
He reported the design was just finalized last week of October, as they have to consider the accent of the establishment to highlight the 11 tribes.
The shelter, dubbed the KAMOTT-IKASAMA, will prioritize the 11 tribes in the city namely, the Klata, Ata, Matigsalug, Obu-Manuvu, Tagabawa, Tausug, Iranun, Kagan, Sama, Maranao, and Maguindanaon.
The three-story building will cover an area of 200 square meters, in the vicinity of the SPMC.
The first floor will be dedicated to offices of various city departments and government agencies responsible for the assistance of the admitted patients. The 2nd floor will be a conference room, while the 3rd floor will be rooms to accommodate the watchers and runners of patients.
Mande said the rooms for the IPs and the Muslims will be separated in respect of their customs. A room dedicated as a prayer room will also be created.
To note, the 20th city council approved in the third and final reading the ordinance establishing the shelter on its 8th regular session, February 27.
However, the budget which is about P42 million coming from the Annual Development Fund of the city, earmarked for the establishment alone was already approved last year, December 2.
Apart from the budget for the shelter, an estimated cost for the maintenance of the building, and personnel ranges to P10 million per year.
Mande said the implementing rules and regulations of the ordinance are still being refined.
