P1.6M IP dormitory at DMC opens

Indigenous Peoples and their relatives from far-flung areas of Davao City now have a place to stay while waiting for the discharge of their patients from the Davao Medical Center with the inauguration and blessing of Balay Dangpanan yesterday.

“The P1.6 million Balay Dangpanan is a halfway home for indigenous peoples and their watchers who have no place to stay here in the city while waiting for their discharge from DMC,” councilor Rachel Zozobrado said. Also present during yesterday’s inauguration are Vice Mayor Sara Duterte as well as councilor Teresa Mata Marañon.

Zozobrado, who spoke on behalf of Duterte, said the local government will continue to extend assistance to DMC through their Lingap Program. She said the vice mayor has also discussed with Committee of German Doctors Country Director Dietmar Schug, the possibility of extending the city’s support for Balay Dangpanan.

Duterte, through Zozobrado, turned over several household appliances for the home including a refrigerator, rice cooker, folding bed and the likes, for the use of indigenous peoples and other Dabawenyos who would be using the halfway home. Zozobrado’s office also turned over several kitchen appliance and wares for the halfway home.

“Balay Dangpanan is very timely considering the plight of the IPs and the other residents from the third district who have to loiter along the hospital corners when they are waiting for their patients to be discharged,” she said.

DMC Chief Dr. Leopoldo Vega said Balay Dangpanan is really a dream come true for him since it has been a long time dream to fill in the gaps and the lapses in the country’s health care. People from far away areas in the city especially the indigenous peoples don’t know where to stay when they have patients here in the city so this is a solution to their plight, he added.

Vega said the structure was intended for doctors and nurses but since they already have houses in the city, he suggested that the structure be turned into a halfway house for marginalized IPs who does not have a place to stay while waiting for their patients to be discharged.

He said the Schug was very receptive to the idea so he pushed through with the proposal even if DMC has to pay for the maintenance of Balay Dangpanan.