STO. TOMAS, Davao Del Norte (DSWD XI) – Some 40 Indigenous People (IP) families living in Sitio Talos, Barangay San Jose, Sto. Tomas town, Davao del Norte will soon benefit from a new community project as the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Kalahi-CIDSS IP-CDD recently broke ground for the construction of a School Living Tradition worth Php 1,000,000.00.

The Ata-Manobo tribe proposed the school so that culture bearers and practitioners are able to propagate and preserve their tribal culture, practices, and heritage.

The Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services Indigenous People – Community Driven Development (Kalahi-CIDSS IP-CDD) targets to deliver basic services in IP communities by supporting the implementation of the Ancestral Domain Sustainable Development Protection Plan (ADSDPP), strengthening partnership among local governance institutions and the Indigenous Political Structures (IPS), and building the communities’ resilience to conflict.

The Kalahi-CIDSS IP-CDD program shall operate along the principles of Ancestral Domain-based, Indigenous Knowledge, Systems and Practices-centered, and locally defined and peace promoting development. (DSWD)