The Municipality of Tampakan celebrated a significant milestone with the formal turnover of the Tampakan Municipal Kasfala Hall in San Isidro, Barangay Poblacion, South Cotabato held last March 6, 2026.
This multi-purpose building serves as a dedicated venue for the Blaan Indigenous Peoples to hold traditional meetings, resolve disputes through the Kasfala system, and conduct important cultural ceremonies. It also functions as the official office for three Indigenous Cultural Communities (ICCs): SBangken, Danlag-Tampakan, and Fulo Bato Blaan Foundation, Inc
The Kasfala Hall was made possible through the generosity of Congressman Isidro S. Lumayag, who funded the construction, while the building site forms part of a one-hectare land area purchased by Sagittarius Mines, Inc. (SMI). This partnership highlights a shared commitment to supporting indigenous governance and preserving cultural heritage.
The turnover ceremony was attended by representatives from Congressman Lumayag’s office, Indigenous Peoples (IP) leaders, IP Mandatory Representatives (IPMRs), officials from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), members of the Indigenous communities, representatives from the Local Government Unit (LGU) of Tampakan, and representatives from Sagittarius Mines, Inc.
Bae Dalena Samling, IPS Head of Danleg ICC and Municipal Convenor, expressed her gratitude during the ceremony:
“𝘖𝘶𝘳 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘧𝘦𝘭𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘓𝘶𝘮𝘢𝘺𝘢𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘚𝘢𝘨𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘶𝘴 𝘔𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴, 𝘐𝘯𝘤. (𝘚𝘔𝘐) 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦. 𝘛𝘰𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳, 𝘸𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘶𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘴𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘭𝘺 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘦 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦.”
She also emphasized the importance of the project in preserving Blaan traditions and fostering unity among the community.
Meanwhile, Lerita Malayon, SMI Community Development Supervisor, reaffirmed the company’s commitment to the Indigenous communities:
“𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘫𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘶𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱. 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘒𝘢𝘴𝘧𝘢𝘭𝘢 𝘏𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘚𝘔𝘐, 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘐𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘸𝘦 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘦. 𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘦. 𝘐𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘵, 𝘤𝘰𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘥𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯. 𝘚𝘔𝘐 𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘦𝘮𝘱𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳 𝘐𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘗𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘺.”
With the continued support of Sagittarius Mines, Inc. (SMI), the Kasfala Hall now stands as a symbol of unity, cultural pride, and strengthened collaboration, ensuring that the traditions and governance systems of the Blaan communities will thrive for generations to come. (30)
