Members of the Indigenous Peoples (IP) community in Sto. Tomas Davao del Norte received 100 housing units from the National Housing Authority in Davao Region (NHA-11), the agency said in a statement Thursday.

Engr. Ariel Puyos, acting division manager of NHA-11, said the turnover of the PHP20 million project on Nov. 29 at the Ata-Manobo community in Barangay San Jose, Sto. Tomas, is a manifestation of the government’s commitment to uplift the lives of vulnerable sectors.

Called the “Balai Karoyawan No Bakalag” or a beautiful house, each housing unit costs PHP200,000.

“We thank the local government unit of Sto. Tomas for their assistance to make the completion of this project easier and faster,” Puyos said.

Mayor Roland Dejesica thanked the NHA for the housing project in their town.

“The processing of the documents of this project is not that easy. Let us thank those who worked for it,” he said.

Dejesica also reminded the beneficiaries to take good care of the houses as it would change their lives for the better.

Meanwhile, tribal leader Datu Pepito Tumaytay of the Ata-Manobo thanked the national government for the project.

“Our tribe is so happy for these houses, it is very beautiful,” he said in vernacular. (PNA)