Daanbantayan receives P9.5M grant for community development projects

CEBU, Philippines — Residents of five barangays in Daanbantayan, northern Cebu, are set to spearhead the implementation of new infrastructure and social development projects under the government’s community-driven development program, which places local communities at the center of planning and decision-making.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development-7 (DSWD-7) and local officials led groundbreaking ceremonies last June 3 and 4 for five KALAHI-CIDSS development projects, which received a combined ?9.5 million grant.

The projects include four road concreting initiatives in Barangays Bakhawan, Dalingding, Malbago, and Talisay, and the construction of a one-unit school building in Barangay Carnaza. The projects are expected to benefit about 648 households, according to program officials.

Under the KKB-CDD (Kapangyarihan at Kaunlaran sa Barangay–Community-Driven Development) approach, community members themselves identify, prioritize, and help manage development projects in their areas through a participatory planning process.

The selection of the five projects went through the Municipal Development Council’s Participatory Resource Allocation, allowing residents to determine which initiatives are most urgent and beneficial for their communities.

Barangay Dalingding received the largest allocation with ?2,975,850 for road concreting, followed by Barangay Malbago with ?2,457,600. Barangay Carnaza was allocated ?2,347,493 for a school building, while Barangay Talisay and Barangay Bakhawan received ?1,190,950 and ?528,106.91, respectively. The local government unit contributed ?212,997 as counterpart support.

Before the latest rollout, Daanbantayan had already implemented seven community subprojects worth ?8.1 million under the same program modality.

During the ceremonies, DSWD Field Office VII KALAHI-CIDSS Deputy Regional Program Manager Engr. Helen Ybañez, representing Regional Director Shalaine Marie Lucero, said the program not only improves access to basic services but also strengthens community participation and develops leadership and governance skills among volunteers.

She emphasized that the initiative empowers residents to take active roles in addressing local development needs while improving facilities in underserved communities.

Daanbantayan Mayor Gilbert Arrabis Jr. also expressed support for the program, highlighting the importance of participatory governance in selecting and implementing projects.

“As your public servants in the municipality, we fully support that process. There should be people’s participation,” Arrabis said, noting that project selection is not decided solely by local officials but involves community engagement. (CEBU NEWS)