Tacloban City – Thirty-five mayors from five provinces in Region Eight expressed their readiness to implement the KALAHI-CIDSS Project in their respective towns. Their commitments were firmed up when the target municipalities were represented in the KALAHI-CIDSS Enrollment Conditions Precedent fora.
Speaking for his municipality, Mayor Francisco Langi Sr. of Motiong, Western Samar revealed that prior to the forum he was already aware of the commitments required from his municipality. His municipality is also ready with the municipal local cash counterpart for this year and next year in 2012. Mayor Langi added that the town’s barangay officials are eager to support their respective barangays.
Also vocal about his support to KALAHI-CIDSS was Mayor Ananias Rebato of San Jose de Buan, Western Samar. Mayor Rebato said that although raising the local cash counterpart was a challenge, he knows that the Project would benefit the people of this 5th class municipality.
According to DSWD Field Office Eight Assistant Regional Director, Jaime Eclavea, these municipalities have gone through a rigid screening process. This is to make sure that project implementation will not be delayed. Eclavea also said that the MLGU Forum was the appropriate venue to raise relevant issues or queries.
The major output of the activity was the scheduled delivery of the Local Cash Counterpart and Municipal Project Implementation Plan because these municipalities have to follow a specified timeline of twelve months per implementation cycle.
Eclavea explained further that new areas will be implementing the KALAHI-CIDSS Project in three years time but must be able to meet the annual timeline to be able to access the allocated funds for the succeeding year.
The new KALAHI-CIDSS municipalities are: Western Samar – Daram, Gandara, Matuguinao, Motiong, San Jose de Buan, San Sebastian, Sto Niño, Tagapul-an, and Talalora.
Previous KALAHI-CIDSS municipalities in Samar ready to adopt the Makamasang Tugon modality are Paranas, Tarangnan, Pinabacdao, Sta. Margarita, and Villareal.
In Leyte, the old KALAHI-CIDSS areas that are will implement the Makamasang Tugon modality are: Bato, Cabucgayan, Julita, Javier, Kananga, Leyte, La Paz, Mahaplag, Mayorga, San Isidro, Tabango, and Tabon-tabon. Biliran Province has only one participating municipality – Naval.
Municipalities in Eastern Samar that previously implemented the three-year KALAHI-CIDSS Project and will be implementing the Makamasang Tugon modality are Can-avid, Sulat, Jipapad, and San Policarpo. Pambujan of Northern Samar also qualified for the one year Makamasang Tugon modality.
The Forum was conducted in four batches to accommodate the Local Chief Executives, Municipal Planning and Development Officers, Municipal Social Welfare and Development Officers, Municipal Accountants, Municipal Area Coordinators and Provincial Focal Persons.
The fora were conducted on the following schedules – May 12-15, May 16-19, and May 19-22 in Ormoc Villa Hotel, Ormoc City and on May 23-27 in Vicmar Resort, Tacloban City.