DSWD Kalahi CIDSS Field Office 8 conducted its 3rd Advocacy Champions’ Run or Takbo Kalahi on August 26, 2019 at RTR Plaza, Tacloban City. It is anchored on the theme ‘MagKalahi Tayo Pilipinas’ as it calls to institutionalize Community-Driven Development in the local and national level.

It is also a celebration of success of the Community Volunteers and Local Government Units in their triumph to combat poverty through collective action.

Regional Director Marie Angela Gopalan said that aside from 23 LGU-led municipalities implementing the program, she hopes that there are more municipalities to adopt the Community-Driven Development processes.

After the fun run, LGU CDD champions Hon. Mayor Melchor Mergal of Salcedo, Eastern Samar and Hon. Mayor Norman Sabdao of San Miguel Leyte gave their testimonies about the effectivenesss of CDD in their communities and advocated it for institutionalization.

Almost 400 participants pledged to support institutionalizing CDD though a signature campaign.


Present also in the activity were DSWD Assistant Regional Director for Administration Marlene Kahano , Kalahi CIDSS Regional Program Coordinator and OIC Chief Promotive Services Division Natividad G. Sequito, Deputy Regional Porrgam Manager Gerardo Peneda , Area Coordinating Team and Municipal Coordinating Team , Local Government Unit officials, Community Volunteers and other government agencies.