DAVAO CITY(November 11) — A pioneering Indigenous Peoples (IP) Teen Center will soon open in Barangay Malabog, Paquibato District, marking the first facility of its kind in the country dedicated to the welfare and empowerment of IP youth.
The project, spearheaded by the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) Region XI, aims to provide a safe and inclusive space where young members of tribal communities can reconnect with their heritage while also accessing mental health and social services.
According to Estelito Ocampo, NCIP XI’s IP youth focal person, the center is envisioned as a “holistic space for healing, learning, and leadership.” It will also house a mental health support facility—one of the first government-backed efforts of its kind within an ancestral domain area.
“We want our youth to take pride in their roots and become future stewards of their ancestral lands,” Ocampo said, noting that more than half of Region XI’s land area lies within ancestral domains.
The first phase of construction is expected to be completed by January 2026, and the center can accommodate up to 2,000 visitors once fully operational.
The initiative is supported by key government partners, including the Commission on Population and Development (PopCom), Department of Health (DOH), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).
Beyond being a hub for cultural exchange and skills development, the center also hopes to address pressing issues affecting indigenous youth such as mental health challenges, sexual violence, and teenage pregnancy—issues Ocampo said remain prevalent but underreported in remote communities.
For many in Paquibato, the center represents not just a building, but a beacon of hope and belonging for the next generation of indigenous leaders.
