The engineering department’s graduating class from the Catanduanes State University (CSU) went to one town in Catanduanes last September 19, 2013 where poverty reduction projects of DSWD are being implemented.

Together with one faculty member, 59 students roved the municipality of Viga with an on-going implementation of the Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (Kalahi-CIDSS). The staff members of the local government unit (LGU) of Viga and DSWD provided assistance during the field visit.

Engr. Bienvinido Berjuega, CSU Extension Services Coordinator, said that they are not only looking into the technical aspects of the Project, of which part of its scope includes the provision of small infrastructures and common service facilities to villages in need of these, but also how funds are being managed and disbursed under this.

The one-day tour kick-started with a 15-minute orientation at the municipal hall, given by Russel Malejana, Kalahi-CIDSS Area Coordinator of Viga. They then proceeded to Magsaysay, Tinago, Del Pilar, and Ananong, all of which are barangays within the municipality that have Kalahi-CIDSS subprojects, which were a day care center, a pump-driven water system Level II, a 60-meter sea wall, and a water system Level II, respectively.

The students had a positive response to their learning visit, particularly on how the government addresses needs of the marginalized sector and Engr. Berjuega affirmed this. “We witnessed a process where the community itself is at the forefront of implementing its own interventions on the felt problems of the residents through their chosen solution/project…We also confirmed how wisely the communities manage their funds… Far and opposite from the national issue on the utilization of PDAF,” he said, referring to the recent controversies surrounding the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF), more popularly known as PDAF.

What is Kalahi-CIDSS?
Kalahi-CIDSS is a community-driven development (CDD) project in the Philippines which strongly advocates the involvement of local communities in the design and implementation of development projects to address the issue of poverty in the country. CDD is a globally recognized strategy for achieving service delivery, poverty reduction, and good governance outcomes. It aims to improve local governance by employing the participation of the people in the communities in the development process.

Community residents consensually decide on what type of poverty-reduction projects they prioritize for funding based from the collective analysis of their needs. Community proposals can vary from public goods/access projects, enterprise or livelihood projects, or human development projects.

It is one of the core social protection programs of DSWD along with Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (Pantawid) and Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP). ###With reports from Russel Malejana, Area Coordinator