The Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (Kalahi-CIDSS) of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in the region is acknowledging the initiatives and milestones of its partner stakeholders in advancing Gender and Development (GAD) integration in the said poverty alleviation program. The recognition was made in both  regional and national activity,  as part of the closing activities of Kalahi-CIDSS Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), held April 19 and May 3 respectively.

In the recently concluded regional event held in Palo, Leyte, Kalahi-CIDSS recognized the efforts of its community volunteers and municipal focal persons at promoting gender mainstreaming, both in the barangay and local government unit.  Jorge Alvero Jr., Brgy. GAD President in Abuyog, Leyte was awarded Best BGAD Volunteer in the region, while Vilma Abad, Municipal Social Welfare Development Officer of Burauen, Leyte received the Best Municipal GAD Focal Person award.

With the program’s expansion through the National Community-Driven Development Program or NCDDP and appropriate policies in empowering women alongside inclusive growth and development, Kalahi-CIDSS records 29, 662 trained community women volunteers in Eastern Visayas based from its first quarter report of 2016.

In order to achieve the program’s poverty reduction goal, community folks in rural areas, including women, receive trainings and other capacity-building support from Kalahi-CIDSS. Its purpose is to strengthen their capacity for project management, implementation and participatory governance.

Through the program, both women and men are involved in decision-making. They can propose small-scale infrastructure projects to address their most pressing problems in their villages.

Due to a more established GAD integration in the program’s processes, particularly its Community Empowerment Activity Cycle (CEAC), more women participated in the Kalahi-CIDSS project implementation. In Eastern Visayas alone, 63% of the women community volunteers have leadership roles while 10, 736 women served as paid laborers, during the construction of their Kalahi-CIDSS community-sub-projects where they earn additional income.

“In Kalahi-CIDSS, women are not just recognized as valuable members of the society but they can also significantly contribute in uplifting their families and communities. As a Community-Driven Development program, Kalahi-CIDSS provides opportunities to the poor, marginalized, and vulnerable.” Regional Director Resty Macuto said.

“They are the people who do not have the voice or lack voices in the society,” He added.