TPEF Turns Over First-Ever Cultural Center for the Living Traditions in the Division of Malita

The TORM Philippines Education Foundation, Inc. (TPEF), through its Social Development Initiatives (SDI) Program, proudly turned over a semi-concrete Cultural Center for the Living Traditions at a partner school in Malita, Davao Occidental. This landmark project is the first of its kind within a school setting in the entire Division of Malita, highlighting TPEF’s commitment to supporting both education and cultural preservation.

Constructed using quality lumber and various structural materials, the Cultural Center serves as a dedicated space where indigenous traditions, knowledge, and practices can be nurtured and passed on to future generations. To further enrich the center’s cultural significance, TPEF also donated traditional musical instruments, including gongs and gandingan, which are essential elements of indigenous cultural performances and ceremonies.

More than just physical structure, the Cultural Center represents the realization of a long-held aspiration among the Lumad community, a place where there ancestral heritage can be celebrated, preserved, and shared. The project reflects TPEF’s belief that education goes beyond academic achievement and should also promote cultural identity, inclusion, and community empowerment.

The initiative directly benefits 798 students and 42 school personnel by providing a venue for cultural presentations, educational activities, heritage learning sessions, and community gatherings. It also supports the Department of Education’s Indigenous Peoples Education (IPEd) Program, which seeks to protect, strengthen, and promote the cultural heritage and identities of indigenous peoples through education.

The turnover ceremony was attended by distinguished guests, including Atty. Leonor Quintayo, representatives from the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples, tribal leaders, the Tagakaulo Tribal Chieftain, and various local government officials. Their presence underscored the significance of the project as a shared effort toward cultural preservation, inclusive education, and sustainable community development.

Through initiatives such as the Cultural Center for the Living Traditions, TPEF continues to invest in meaningful programs that empower communities, honor indigenous heritage, and create opportunities for future generations to learn, grow, and take pride in their cultural identity.