DSWD launches anti-poverty program thru essay writing contest for students

CEBU, Philippines – The Department of Social Welfare and Development has kicked off its Kapit Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services project through an Essay Writing contest last June 30.

KALAHI-CIDSS is the Philippine government’s flagship poverty alleviation project that is supporting the poor local government units by investing in the people through implementation of projects.

The contest, which is open for high school and college students, is in different categories and is done to “generate stories from the ground specifically the stakeholders perspective on the different activities of the project.”

Through the contest, the agency aims to gather success stories and lessons learned from different projects.

The theme for both high school and college categories is “Ako bilang kaisa ng KALAHI-CIDSS laban sa kahirapan.”

High school students between 12 to 18 years old who are enrolled in a high school located in KALAHI-CIDSS phased out or current project area are allowed to join.

Meanwhile, college students who are not more than 23 years old are allowed to join as long as they are a resident of any KALAHI-CIDSS phased out or current project and are enrolled in a college or university.

In Central Visayas, KALAHI-CIDSS covered towns are Enrique Villanueva in Siquijor province and Bien Unido, Buenavista, Getafe, Talibon, Carlos P. Garcia, Trinidad, Ubay, San Miguel, Pilar, Mabini, Danao and Carmen towns in Bohol.

The contest entries should not be more than 1,500 words and could be written in either English or Filipino, as long as it is original and has never been published.

DSWD encourages the participants who have joined their barangay assemblies and have done volunteer works to include their personal experiences in their pieces.

Entries will be judged on the content and depth on KALAHI-CIDSS, writing style and structure, use of evidence and examples, which provide relevant images of empowerment, transparent LGU and poverty reduction, accuracy and originality.

Deadline for submission of entries will be on September 30, to be submitted to Kalahi CIDSS Project Management Office of the DSWD regional office on M.J. Cuenco Avenue, Cebu City. — AJ de la Torre/WAB (THE FREEMAN)