DSWD Regional Director Remia Tapispisan (center) talked about Kalahi-CIDSS implementation in the region during the press conference held at the DSWD office on February 4, this year. Also in the photo are Assistant Regional Director for Administration Virginia Idano, and Policy and Plans Division Chief Yvonne Abonales.The Department of Social Welfare and Development Field Office (DSWD FO) Eight bagged awards for last year’s implementation of Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan – Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (Kalahi-CIDSS) during the recently concluded DSWD 62nd Anniversary Celebration held at the DSWD National Project Management Office (NPMO) in Quezon City, Manila.

Region Eight garnered the following awards: Best in Finance Team, Most Promising Gender Mainstreaming Initiative on Improving Women’s Participation in Paid Labor, Best Peace-Promoting Projects, Best Public and Private Partnership (PPP) Initiative, and Most Effective Conflict-Sensitive Planning and Implementation.

DSWD FO Eight has the biggest coverage in Kalahi-CIDSS implementation nationwide, with a total number of five (5) provinces and fifty-one (51) municipalities.

This year is the second time that the region won the Best in Finance Team and was recognized in its PPP initiative.

Regional Director Remia Tapispisan said she was happy for the awards that the region received. “It only means that the performance of Kalahi-CIDSS in the region is recognized at the national level”.

Tapispisan is the newly-installed DSWD FO Eight director. She was formerly assigned in Bicol, also a Kalahi-CIDSS performing region.

“I am not new to Kalahi-CIDSS project. Even when I was still in Bicol, we were also getting recognition for its implementation. And even then, I’ve been hearing about FO 8 performing well too”.

Kalahi-CIDSS is an anti-poverty project of the government spearheaded by the DSWD. It is a community-driven development program that aims to empower the community, improve local governance, and reduce poverty.

Aside from the abovementioned awards, FO 8 was also recognized for its best practice on the use of Biometrics for Pantawid Pamilya beneficiaries. The use of biometrics was initiated by the Province of Leyte, and was piloted and launched in the municipality of Matag-ob.

Javier, Leyte was also recognized as best Local Government Unit (LGU).