A P20 MILLION worth of new building will rise soon in the House of Hope land area in Upper Palalan, Barangay Lumbia, Cagayan de Oro City.

This developed as House of Hope continues its expansion project after ownership had been transferred from church to the City Government in 2019.

Michael Fabello, City Social Welfare and Development executive overseer, said the new two-story building will be funded by the City and shall house the administration office, as well as two wards for both female and male patients.

Fabello said the Department of Health is also set to pour P23 million for another building at the shelter for mentally-ill.

"The city's plan is to make the House of Hope a Wellness Center to cater to those rescued individuals in the streets, abandoned, neglected mentally-ill persons," Fabello said.

The House of Hope Foundation is a custodial psychiatric care facility that treats mentally-ill patients rescued from the streets. If treatment is successful, patients will be sent back to their homes with their families.

In October 2019, a memorandum of agreement was entered into by the Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro, the owners of the land Escano Estate where the House of Hope is situated, Department of Health, Northern Mindanao Medical Center, JR Borja General Hospital, which transfers ownership of the shelter from the Archdiocese to the city to upgrade the mental health facility of the House of Hope.

Mayor Oscar Moreno said developing the House of Hope is part of the health and hospital services, considered crucial components under his eight-point agenda to promote health programs particularly on mental health.