Apex Mining Company, Inc. spent a total of P 11 million for the construction of a tribal hall or a “Baray Korowanan aw Gauwbukanan” in Maco, Compostela Valley.
The said tribal hall will have a cultural museum featuring the Mansaka and the Kagan tribes which are the two major tribes of the town.
The project is in line with a memorandum of agreement requiring Apex Mining to give a “royalty share” of P 11 million for the construction of the two-storey tribal hall expected to be completed in June 2019.
Maco Municipal Information Officer Jiesyl Mae Nazareni said in an article published by Philippine Information Agency (PIA) that the mining firm initially provided P 6 million in 2012 to start the project then later released the P 5 million balance last February 14.
Focal person of Indigenous Peoples Desk Teresita Marcial said the release of the remaining fund for the project delighted the tribal communities in Maco as this would ensure the completion of the tribal hall.
“In behalf sa indigenous peoples sa Mansaka Tribe ug ako isip usa ka piniyalan ning maong buhatan nga under sa opisina sa Mayor, malipayon kami nga puhon masud-ong na ang maong balayan buhatan alang sa tribu,” Marcial said in the same PIA article.
(In behalf of the indigenous peoples of the Mansaka Tribe and as a focal person under the Office of the Mayor, we are happy that the tribal hall will soon be realized.)
The town of Maco in Compostela is where Apex Mining originated back when the Maco Gold Mine was still known as Masara, according to the mining firm’s website.
