By Rey Anthony Chiu | 09:34 PM June 10, 2022
As far as the government’s premier community empowerment program through the Kapit Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan (KALAHI) Comprehensive Integrated Development of Social Services (CIDSS), despite a change in administration, the program continues until 2023.
This was the categorical statement issued by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Cluster head for Bohol and Siquijor Sharon Escabarte, during the Regional Information Officers’ Conference with the Association of United Development Information Officers (AUDIO) in Bohol, June 9 at the Bluewater Resort in Panglao.
For Bohol, the cycle gets to projects in 37 towns or 917 barangays, Escabarte said.
To date, the government has funded for the completion of 74 sub projects amounting to 776,094,200.00.
This is for the 192 sub-projects, of which 49 have been completed, says the DSWD.
Towns in Bohol where the additional financing are implemented are Sevilla, Lila, Batuan, San Isidro, Danao, Dagohoy San Miguel, Alicia, Anda and Bien unido for group one.
The project would also be in Loon, Calape, Tubigon, Clarin, Inabanga, Buenavista, Getafe, Talibon, Trinidad, Ubay, Mabini, Candijay, Sierra Bullones, Duero, Jagna, Garcia Hernandez, Valencia, Dimiao, Bilar, Balilihan, Catigbian and Carmen.
KALAHI CIDSS is one of the prime poverty-alleviation programs of the Philippine government implemented by DSWD, which addresses the needs of poor communities, by using a community-Driven Development (CDD) approach, a globally recognized strategy for achieving empowered communities in target municipalities to improved access to basic services, as well as to participate in more inclusive local planning, budgeting, and implementation.
And while KALAHI-CIDSS’ main thrust is to empower communities through increased participation remains, an additional financing has been allotted in continuity of its programs for 2021 to 2023, Escabarte said.
The additional funding however is focused on addressing the effects of Coronavirus disease 19 (COVID) pandemic and other disasters, while pursuing the institutionalization of the Community-Driven Development principles of participatory, transparency, accountability, and inclusive growth in the local development planning, she explained.
For this, the project implementation involves two phases: harmonization and institutionalization.
Harmonization entails unifying all efforts with the local planning process while using the Disaster Response Operations Modality in updating the existing Barangay Development Plan, while keeping in central focus the participatory disaster response and local community-owned planning, she illustrates.
Here, the municipal orientation and enrolment comes which can lead to the Municipal Disaster and Risk Reduction Management Council meeting, Barangay DRRM, needs assessment and analysis sessions which should be ushering in the sub-project development.
The proposed sub-project are then technically reviewed by the Municipal Inter Agency Council which leads to the sub project implementation and subproject completion.
On its second year, the project should be under institutionalization of the CDD in local planning and project implementation where the second sub project preparation, execution and assessment happens.
Drawing from the community planning implementation and experiences of year one, the community starts with a Barangay or Municipal DRRMC meeting, Needs Assessment and Analysis and project development to respond to the analyzed needs.
The new project undergoes BIAC or MIAC technical review again, prior to its implementation and subsequent completion.
Apart of the institutionalization phases is the setting up of accountability review committees, which elevate the empowerment to more training needs and local planning sessions. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)