Press release

January 13, 2012

IP community accepts 2 classroom building; receives gifts from soldiers A mass media foundation formally turned over a 2-classroom building built in partnership with the military to the community of indigenous people of Ata-Manobo at SitioTalos, Brgy. San Jose, Sto. Tomas, Davao del Norte on Jan. 12, Thursday,10 a.m. The ABS CBN foundation represented by Tina Monsod Palma, a renowned and veteran journalist, together with Maj. Gen.Carlos B. Holganza, Chief of NADESCOM, and Col. Lysander A. Suerte, 1003rd Infantry Brigade Commander, formally turned over the 2-classroom building to the community of 72 households headed by DatuDomengTumaytay of the Ata-Manobo Tribe. Each classroom has a floor area of 49 square meters with a separate structure for comfort rooms and a water tank. The project was completed in 45 working days by the Army Engineers of 534Engineer Construction Battalion while the 69th Infantry Battalion provided security forces for the duration of the project. Water, a difficult commodity but necessary component of building the infrastructure, was initially provided by the fire truck of the local government of Santo Tomas, Davao del Norte. Eventually, the community expressed their Bayanihan spirit when they organized themselves to take turns in fetching water for the construction until the schoolbuilding was completed. Before the soldiers left the community, they distributed gifts of bags to the schoolchildren. -End-