The National Housing Authority (NHA) on Saturday said it recently conducted a turnover ceremony of housing units to fifty-one families from the Mandaya Indigenous Peoples (IPs) group in Brgy. Pintatagan, Banaybanay, Davao Oriental.

NHA Region XI Manager Engr. Clemente A. Dayot, representing NHA General Manager Joeben Tai, together with Banaybanay Mayor Lemuel Ian M. Larcia led the awarding of Balai Nang Mandaya housing units.

The said housing project is under the Housing Assistance Program for Indigenous Peoples (HAPIP) and is under Republic Act No. 8731 or the Indigenous Peoples Right Act of 1997.

The NHA, in coordination with the National Commission for Indigenous Peoples and Local Government Units (LGU) implements the HAPIP within the ancestral domain sites of the IPs or in lands owned by the LGU that is acceptable to the concerned IPs.

Banaybanay Vice Mayor Liezel S. Teves, 1st District Congressman Nelson “Boy” Dayanghirang, NHA District Manager Engr. Sonia J. Bulseco, Mandaya Tribal Chieftain Leonilo Pacay, Sr., and Brgy. Pintatagan IP Representative Alfonso Bungarotan graced the event.

In a related story, NHA Region XI also held a tree planting activity on 25 March 2024, at Balai Kalipay, Brgy. Luban, Mati City, Davao Oriental, an IP housing project. Housing beneficiaries together with the NHA staff planted mangosteen and rambutan seedlings from the Department of Agriculture-Regional Field Office (DA-RFO) XI.

The said activity is part of the NHA’s Livelihood and Affordability Enhancement Program (LAEP) aimed to ensure the availability of livelihood and employment opportunities for the housing beneficiaries in all project sites. The housing beneficiaries received various vegetable seedlings.