THE Department of Social Welfare and Development – Davao Region (DSWD-Davao) officially turned over a new dormitory for Ata Manobo students on January 10, 2025.
Located at Tapak National High School, the P372,000 facility aims to provide students with a stable environment to focus on their studies, reduce absences, and deter early employment or marriage.
“Gilantaw nga ang maong dormitoryo nga proyekto sa ESSI, dako ang mahanyag nga tabang ug kabag-ohan sa komunidad sa mga IPs ug labi na sa pagdalit og paglaum alang sa mas mahayag nga kaugmaon sa mga Kabataang Ata Manobo (Through this dormitory project by ESSI, we expect significant help and positive change in the IP community, bringing hope for a brighter future to Ata Manobo youth),” DSWD-Davao stated in a Facebook post on January 14, 2025.
The dormitory is part of the department's Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), which underscores the importance of education for beneficiaries, especially in Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas (Gida).
One of the key strategies under the 4Ps is the Enhanced Support Services Intervention (ESSI), which supports marginalized communities, including Indigenous Peoples in the Paquibato District, Davao City.
“Usa lamang ang ESSI sa daghang stratehiya sa DSWD aron dayong mabatukan ang kapobrehon sa nasud ug mahatagan og kalambuan ang pamuyo sa Pamilyang Pilipino (ESSI is one of DSWD's many strategies to fight poverty and improve the living conditions of Filipino families),” DSWD-Davao said.
The 4Ps program, launched in 2008 and institutionalized through Republic Act No. 11310 in 2019, is a national poverty reduction and human capital investment strategy. It provides conditional cash transfers to beneficiaries for up to seven years, aiming to improve health, nutrition, and education. RGP