The Kalahi-CIDSS (Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan–Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services) DSWD Field Office VIII once again received a national recognition from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Central Office.

The Highest Community Grants Disbursed in NCDDP Award under the Extra Large Coverage Category and the First Region to Deliver 1B in Community Grants Award were presented by Secretary Dinky Soliman to Region VIII Program Management Team besting 16 regions all over the country.

Said awards were given on July 14, during the Mid-Year Project Review and Evaluation Workshop held at the Asian Institute of Management, Makati City where Kalahi-CIDSS’ regional and national performance were assessed.

On June 5, 2015, Kalahi-CIDSS Field Office VIII hit the 1-Billion disbursement target making it the first region to deliver the said grant to communities where total of Php 1,008,526,165.63 billion has been released to 1, 865 barangays across six provinces in Eastern Visayas.

As of this writing, a total of 3, 885 community-managed sub-projects were already funded under the NCDDP (National Community-Driven Development Program) fund source in the region, 37 of which are already completed. Sub-projects that are basic access infrastructure get the highest portion of NCDDP-funded projects. These projects include the construction of barangay pathwalks, footbridges, and farm-to-market roads. On the other hand, about 30% of these projects are basic social services chosen by community folks such as construction of elementary schools, day care centers, health station, streetlights, and water system while community production, economic support and common service facilities obtain 20%.

Due to CDD approach, communities are becoming more disaster-conscious in the region where 16% of sub-projects in the region deal with environmental protection and conservation such as mangrove planting and construction of sea wall.

Sub-projects funded by the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) in 21 municipalities, on the other hand, are set to be completed this December 2015. From a total of 1, 089 MCC-funded sub-projects, 660 were already accomplished while 429 sub-projects are still for implementation. MCC has also funded eight Gender Incentive Grant (GIG) projects in Samar and Leyte focusing on non-traditional skills training for women. These projects are now opening opportunities to women who are mostly housewives which will also allow them participate in paid labor.

“The awards bestowed to DSWD-8 deserve celebration. Again the merit should go to every Kalahi-CIDSS worker who are dedicated; one who knows their responsibility as public servant whose value worth emanating”, Regional Director Nestor Ramos proudly said.

Kalahi-CIDSS is the poverty alleviation program of the national government that seeks to empower community members using the Community-Driven Development (CDD) strategy. In Eastern Visayas alone, 617, 131 households across 134 municipalities will benefit from this program; 239, 328 families of whom are Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program beneficiaries.