DSWD-7 KALAHI-CIDSS ends training of 27 ACTs

CEBU, Philippines — The 27 Area Coordinating Teams (ACTs) of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Field Office 7–Central Visayas KALAHI-CIDSS program have completed training on the Environmental and Social Safeguards Framework (ESSF) under the Panahon ng Pagkilos: Philippine Community Resilience Project (PCRP).

The training, conducted in partnership with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the National Water Resources Board (NWRB), aimed to equip ACT personnel with the knowledge and practical skills to identify, assess, and mitigate environmental and social risks in community subprojects.

In a statement, DSWD-7 said the training emphasized the safe, responsible, and inclusive implementation of projects while protecting the dignity and well-being of communities.

DENR-7 and its attached bureaus, as members of the Regional Technical Working Groups, provided technical assistance on key environmental requirements, including the Philippine Environmental Impact Statement System, DENR screening and categorization, the National Integrated Protected Areas System, and the processing of permits and clearances.

Discussions also covered forest tenure instruments and the requirements for securing tree-cutting permits.

The NWRB, meanwhile, discussed the process of applying for water permits and relevant provisions of Presidential Decree 1067, or the Water Code of the Philippines, to help ACT personnel facilitate water permit applications in their respective areas.

Participants also tackled ESSF fundamentals and policy updates, risk assessment and mitigation, project compliance, social safeguards and documentation, environmental protection, and the preservation of cultural and historical heritage.

Sessions included the preparation of Environmental and Social Management Plans (ESMPs) and the proper application of safeguard standards, procedures, and tools.

Environmental safeguards officer Engr. Rommel M. Chua guided the participants in ESMP preparation and environmental risk management.

Social safeguards officer Engr. Sharon Escabarte also emphasized the importance of identifying and protecting cultural and historical heritage sites to prevent potential damage during project implementation.

The training is expected to strengthen the ACTs’ capacity to ensure that KALAHI-CIDSS community subprojects comply with environmental and social safeguards and contribute to resilient and sustainable communities. — /IHM (FREEMAN)