THE newly selected Indigenous Peoples' Mandatory Representative (IPMR) of Davao City eyes the opening of Indigenous People's Desk for six tribes at Southern Philippines Medical Center within this week.
Cherry Ann Codilla, newly selected IPMR in an interview with Sun.Star Davao Monday, April 23, said meetings are ongoing with SPMC director Doctor Leopoldo Vega for the IP desk.
"Tomorrow (Tuesday), we will finalize the date when the IP desk will start. The IP desk will be placed in SPMC wherein six major tribes of the city will be represented. A liaison officer per tribe will assist the patient's needs," Codilla said.
These tribes include those tribes covered by IPMR: Ata Tribe, Bagobo-Klata, Matigsalug, Ovu Manuvu, Tagabawa, and Kagan Tribe.
She said other tribes can still also ask assistance from liaison officers from six tribes on which way to go to get assistance.
She added that such liaison persons are needed to assist the IP patients in asking help from various government agencies.
"There are many agencies in the area: Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO), Lingap para sa Mahirap, Department of Social Welfare and Development, Office of the Special Assistant to the President (OSAP), Office of the President, but what is lacking is the person who will guide them (IPs) how to avail the services," she said.
Codilla said the IP desk will have its own table and computers in case the IPs will need certain documents like a certificate of indigency.
The liaison officers will attest to the socio-economic status of the patient because of their connection with the barangay IPMR.
She said liaison officers for those hospitalized patients in private hospitals will also be designated from the staff of the IPMR office at Sangguniang Panlungsod and the barangay satellite office.
"A satellite office will be opened next week at Calinan district hall... we will also open another satellite office at Toril by May because we have a lot of Tagabawa constituents there," she said.
Meanwhile, Codilla said she is also now working for a free boarding house stay for the indigents who are studying within the city.
"We are now looking for partners for this, because if we have NGO partners and organizations we can have wide coverage and we can help many," she said.
She added that this free boarding house will be in a form of bayanihan, the barangay based IPMR will help in making the beds. She said she already has given instruction to the IPMR per barangay to screen those who will avail these free services.
"We really prioritize those who are really in need because everything will be for free, their accommodation, power, water, food. We also plan to place computer units for them, we will do it gradually," she said.
Codilla is set to take oath this Friday as the new councilor. The oath will be administered by Mayor Sara Z. Duterte-Carpio.