NEW HOME
President Rodrigo R. Duterte donates his Margarita Village house to House of Hope, a foundation that provides temporary shelter for children with cancer
President Rodrigo Duterte donated his house at Margarita Village at J.P. Laurel Avenue, Davao City to the House of Hope, a charity providing temporary shelter for children with cancer, which he has been supporting.
House of Hope Foundation vice president Fatima-Inderah Disomimba said yesterday during Kapihan sa PIA that last January, the property has been transferred to them after a deed of donation was signed by the President.
In the past years, Duterte allowed the use of his three-bedroom house at Margarita Village for the House of Hope but at that time the name of the house was still under him.
The Davao Children’s Cancer Fund, Inc. (DCCFI) or the House of Hope (aka Kids of Hope) operates mainly from donations.
“We were surprised din. Naisip din ni President na it’s about time na ibigay niya fully kasi before pinapagamit lang, ganon siya ka generous,” Disomimba said. They thanked the President for the support he gave to the foundation.
The original House of Hope transient house was located at the old building of the SPMC renovated by the Rotary Club of Waling-Waling. They also have another one at the Annex Building funded through Senator Pia Cayetano’s Priority Development Assistance Fund (Pdaf ).
Disomimba bared that SPMC averages 315 cancer patients per year all over Mindanao, and with these halfway houses, indigent patients will have a decent home to stay in while their treatment is ongoing.
There are currently three children with cancer staying at Margarita Village halfway house. Sometimes, doctors and nurses coming from outside Davao City who are undergoing training at SMPC use the Margarita Village house as their accommodation as well.
Duterte has been one of the active supporters of the House of Hope even when he was still a mayor. He regularly visits the center during Christmas and other special occasions.