The newly-constructed multipurpose hall turned over on February 13, 2024 by the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples Affair (MIPA) to IP communities at Barangay Talisawa in Datu Abdullah Sangki, Maguindanao Del Sur.(Comenei Ali/BIO)
MAGUINDANAO DEL SUR—The Indigenous People (IP) community at Barangay Talisawa in Datu Abdullah Sangki, Maguindanao del Sur received on Tuesday, Feb. 13, a newly-constructed building from the Bangsamoro Government’s Ministry of Indigenous Peoples Affairs (MIPA).
The building, worth P7.2 million, will serve as a multi-purpose hall for the IPs. It was funded through the 2021 Special Development Fund (SDF)—the fund allocated by the national government intended for initiatives focused on “rebuilding, rehabilitation, and development of its conflict-affected communities” as stipulated in Section 2, Article XIV of Republic Act 11054.
With a floor area of around 330 square meters, it can accommodate small gatherings and other affairs of IP such as meetings, the teaching of customary laws to the younger generation, and dispute resolution among others, as explained by the IP Mandatory Representative (IPMR) Mambai Prade Mahin.
Representing the Teduray IP community during the ceremonial turnover, Mahin expressed her dedication to maintaining the facility, emphasizing its significance for future generations.
“Our older generation will soon leave this world but our legacy including this building will remain for the next generation,” Mahin remarked during her acceptance speech.
Datu Abdullah Sangki, abbreviated as DAS, is a sixth-class municipality established in 2004 under Muslim Mindanao Act No. 153 of the then Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) Regional Legislative Assembly. Situated as the final municipality of Maguindanao del Sur, it shares its border with Esperanza, Sultan Kudarat.
Out of its 10 barangays, only one has a dominant population of Teduray clans—one of the major Indigenous Peoples of Southern Philippines.
During the ceremony, Vice Mayor Samsodhen Sangki affirmed the local government’s commitment to supporting the IP community, highlighting his personal visits to remote IP areas to understand their challenges.
“In DAS, we ensure that our IP brethren are integral to our programs,” the vice mayor emphasized. (Abdullah Matucan/BIO)
