IPs get P24M grant

IN a ceremonial signing of grant contracts on May 30, 2014, IP MNCHN Project Mindanao awarded a total of 399,990.48 euros or roughly around P24 million in grants for IP Midwifery scholarship and strengthening of Indigenous Peoples Organizations (IPO) in the five sites of the project.

A grant of 99,990.48 euros or about P5.9 million was awarded to Davao Medical School Foundation (DMSF) for full midwifery scholarship of 10 IP students.

Another 300,000 euros or an estimate of P18 million was awarded to Pamulaan Center for Indigenous Peoples Education for IPO strengthening.

“The project’s holistic approach to health care services for the Indigenous Peoples’ women and children is directed towards addressing multi-levels of health needs and concerns of the Indigenous Cultural Communities (ICCs) in general. These grants will address human resource and socio-economic aspects of health service delivery in ICCs especially in Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas (GIDAs),” IP MNCHN project director Dr. Lilibeth U. Desabilla-Malabanan said.

Pamulaan Center will manage the grant by creating learning mechanisms that will improve the Indigenous People’s capacity in planning, implementing, managing and sustaining health related activities and other basic services that contribute to the total development of the IPs in ancestral domain areas in Mindanao with Certificate of Ancestral Domain Title (CADT).

The grant will also create community projects to improve access and quality of health services and will also support livelihood programs.

The midwifery scholarship for IP students will be managed by DMSF purposely to produce between 10 to 15 licensed IP midwives in two-year time and for DMSF to set-up a sustainable scholarship programme for Diploma in Midwifery for IPs.

Funded by the European Union, these grants are among the commitment of the project for the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals 4 and 5 which aim to reduce child mortality and improve maternal health in Indigenous Cultural Communities and Indigenous Peoples (ICCs/IPs) and other disadvantaged communities in Mindanao.

The National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP), being the implementing agency, will guide and supervise the grants’ implementation.