In line with the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) of eradicating extreme poverty and addressing the worst forms of human deprivation, the Department of Social Welfare and Development Field Office Eight (DSWD FO 8) is holding a Roll-out Training on Operationalization of Convergence Strategy for Municipal Action Team Members of Set Two (2) area of Pantawid Pamilya, covering the 24 municipalities and one city of Western Samar. The training, held in Ciriaco Hotel, Calbayog City, started on September 24 and would end today, Friday, September 28, 2012.
The participants are staff members from the three (3) Core Social Protection Programs of DSWD, Pantawid Pamilya, Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (Kalahi-CIDSS), and Sustainable Livelihood, collectively called Tatsulo.
The training aimed to converge and strategize the implementation of the said programs for better and effective delivery of basic social services.
Assistant Regional Director Nestor Ramos said, “The Convergence strategy aims to avoid duplication and competition of the programs and activities being implemented by the Department in communities. The three (3) programs complement each other and through this, resources and efforts are maximized”.
Ramos emphasized the importance of working together as one. “Magkaisa at magkapit-bisig tayo para matulungan natin ang ating mga mahihirap na kababayan para kahit paano maging disente ang pamumuhay (Let us be united and work together as one in helping our poor fellowmen to somehow improve their way of living)”.
Kalahi-CIDSS Regional Project Coordinator Natividad Sequito affirmed this, saying, “Every staff member of the three (3) Social Protection Programs plays an important role and should work together as one unit, regardless of whether he or she is from Kalahi-CIDSS, Pantawid Pamilya, or Sustainable Livelihood.” She added, “The essence of convergence is seen through influence and collaboration”.
In the convergence framework, Kalahi-CIDSS provide the supply side according to the most pressing needs of the community, Pantawid Pamilya focus on the well-being of family and children – their health and education, while the Sustainable Livelihood Program engages and trains the community on micro-economic enterprise.
Among the topics discussed in the training are bridging leadership, approaches in addressing inequities and complex issues, influencing and collaborating for results, and how to work together as a team. Workshops on data analysis of social inequities, municipal mapping of the current poverty situation, and stakeholders’ analysis were also conducted during the training.