DSWD to LGUs: Implement projects, KALAHI-CIDSS way

CEBU, Philippines - Local government officials are encouraged to solicit participation of their community when they implement projects to ensure the target beneficiaries will really get to use them and government funds will not be wasted.

DSWD officials said the community-driven development (CDD) process, popularized by the Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive Integrated Delivery of Social Services (KALAHI-CIDSS), was proven very effective.

This was the reason why President Benigno Aquino III recently approved the National Community-Driven Development Program (NCDDP) during a meeting with the NEDA, in carrying out national projects.

The NCDDP, the scaling up of the Kalahi-CIDSS, will use the CDD approach to address poverty in the country and, as such, will empower ordinary citizens to actively and directly participate in local governance by identifying their own community needs, planning, implementing, and monitoring projects to address local poverty issues collectively.

Director Honorita Bayudan of the Poverty Reduction Program Bureau of the DSWD Central Office encouraged LGUs to adopt the CDD approach, citing the many projects that were unused because they were not really what the communities needed.

Iloilo’s provincial social welfare and development officer Neneth Pador said the provincial government has proven that, through KALAHI-CIDSS, communities are not only given better access to services but are also being empowered to work for what is best for them towards national development.

Due to the province’s strong support to KALAHI-CIDSS, it created the Iloilo Provincial Convergence Committee (IPCC) and released P2.69 million as counterpart fund for the project last year, said Pador.

DSWD-6 regional director Ma. Evelyn Macapobre thanked the Iloilo provincial government for its strong support to KALAHI-CIDSS, especially for the resolution adopting the CDD process in the implementation of projects. In Region 6, the KALAHI-CIDSS has successfully implemented 197 sub-projects in 2012, utilizing P216.8 million, she said.

Tapaz town (Capiz) Mayor Rosemarie Gardoce and Bingawan town (Iloilo) Mayor Matt Palabrica validated the statements of DSWD officials.

The towns of Barotac Viejo, Bingawan, Calinog, Carles, Lemery, and Lambunao in Iloilo; Maayon and Tapaz in Capiz and Hinoba-an and Don Salvador Benedicto in Negros Occidental were pilot areas of the KALAHI-CIDSS MakamasangTugon 2, which concluded last year. (FREEMAN)