Twelve (12) delegates from the government of Mongolia visited Barugo and San Miguel in Leyte on November 19, 2019.  The learning visit, organized by the World Bank, sought to showcase  Community-Driven Development, the Kalahi CIDSS strategy, as the Philippines’ model for poverty alleviation and inclusive development. Included activities were project site visit and focus group discussion with the community volunteers and the members of the Municipal and Barangay Local Government Units.

Assistant Regional Director for Operations, Marcela Lim, in her message at the Exit Conference, said that “Community-Driven Development has taught communities how to be proactive citizens which is vital for inclusive development.” She added that the stories of communities are what CDD is all about. The experiences of communities are important to enrich CDD not only in the Philippines but also to other countries.

The visit allowed the delegates to observe how Community Driven Development (CDD) is working at the grassroots level; learning from the experiences and stories of the benefiting communities as the direct implementers and stakeholders of the program for improving local governance.

Barugo and San Miguel in Leyte were the featured sites because they are longtime CDD champions in the region.