Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales led the inauguration of the Ombudsman’s newest office in Davao City on November 21, 2017. The new office located at the corner of Libra and Earth streets in GSIS Heights Subdivision in Matina is a three-storey structure with a covered roof deck and stands on a 2,798 square meter lot behind the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) compound.
The lot was acquired from the GSIS in 2014 with architectural design from Arce Bailon and Arce Architects and constructed by AIMM Builder and Construction Supply. The lot was blessed on March 28, 2014, groundbreaking rites held on May 7, 2015 and construction finally started on January 15, 2016.
In his opening message, Deputy Ombudsman for Mindanao Rodolfo Elman said that “as we gather today for this inauguration ceremony, let us not just marvel at this magnificent edifice where the Ombudsman Mindanao is now housed but also, hopefully, recognize that the more enduring grandeur and legacy lie not in the beauty of the building, but in the people who give life to the structure–their integrity, competence, and passion to do what is right and just. This is the true foundation upon which this building stands.”
For her part, Ombudsman Morales said that “as we usher a new chapter in the life of the Office, may the spirit of the occasion imbibe in all of us a renewed sense of public service. As we share the joy of inaugurating this OMB building, we embrace the shared vision of rendering a more efficient and effective delivery of Ombudsman services in the entire archipelago.”
The inauguration ceremony was attended by top officials from the Office of the Ombudsman, City Administrator Zuleika Lopez, Undersecretary Jesus Melchor Quitain and other distinguished guests.###