Reymunda Amegable (center), Kalahi-CIDSS’ Brgy. Sub-Project Management Committee (BSPMC)Chairperson explains to Takeshi Koike from the Office of Co-financing Operations of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in charge of the Japan Fund for Poverty Reduction (JFPR) Fund Facility, the program of works of the Kalahi-CIDSS (Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan–Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services) sub-project in Balangiga, Eastern Samar under the JFPR funding during a site visit on April 23, 2015.

JFPR is funding the Rehabilitation of 8 classrooms and 1 faculty room for 4 barangays of San Miguel, Cansumangcay, Sta. Rosa, and Cag-olango amounting to PhP 3.7 million.

“I wanted to become a public school teacher but I was not able to proceed to third year college because my parents could not afford it”. Reymunda tearfully shared.

BSPMC Chairperson Reymunda, a mother of seven and now a grandmother of two kids, said leading the committee that will implement the reconstruction of classrooms is a responsibility she never imagined she could perform. “I may not help Brgy. San Miguel as a public school teacher but I can help my community as a volunteer who has the power to rebuild schools for the welfare of the children. Said sub-project is set to be accomplished on June 6, 2015 in time for the opening of classes.

JFPR is financed by the Government of Japan which provides direct grant assistance to the poorest and most vulnerable groups in developing member countries of ADB while fostering long-term social and economic development. The Department of Social Welfare and Development thru the Kalahi-CIDSS will be implementing JFPR sub-projects which will focus on the speedy recovery of selected small-scale municipal and community-level infrastructure damaged by Super-typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda). In Eastern Visayas, a total of 114 sub-projects will be implemented in 399 barangays from 13 municipalities in the provinces of Leyte, Samar, and Eastern Samar amounting to PhP 115,710,000. 00.