The first municipal Bayani Ka! Awards in the Philippines was initiated in Bato, Catanduanes last March 30, 2016 where community implementers of a DSWD poverty program were recognized.
Residents of Bato’s 27 barangays engaged in Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (Kalahi-CIDSS), a DSWD program that seeks to help alleviate poverty through community-driven development (CDD), were awarded for their volunteerism and commendable commitment and support to the program.
“This is a way to honor our community heroes for their selflessness who will help us promote the program through their stories of heroism and transformation that CDD really works,” Dir. Arnel Garcia said.
As a CDD project, ordinary residents are elected as program implementers who will directly manage the resources and construct community sub-projects like evacuation centers, day care centers, health centers, classrooms, roads, drainage, solar dryer, etc.
Apolinario Tejerero, a resident of Brgy. Guinobatan, received an accolade as the Best Community Volunteer who has shown his perseverance to pursue their project despite of struggles.
“Kahit tatlong araw akong pabalik-balik na walang pera para maka attend sa training at seminar para sa aming volunteers, naranasan kong maging masaya dahil marami akong natutunan na kahit na kailanman hindi ko malilimutan,” he said.
Tejerero is the Barangay Sub-Project Management Committee (BSPMC) Chairman who helped in the construction of their evacuation center funded through Kalahi-CIDSS amounting to 2,397,071.00.
The following volunteers and barangays received the following awards:
| Barangay | Category | Awardee |
| Barangay Guinobatan | Best Barangay Secretary | Amelia Villescas |
| Barangay Bote | Best Barangay Treasurer | Josephine Mendez |
| Barangay Guinobatan | Best Bids & Awards Committee | |
| Barangay Cabugao | Best Barangay Bookkeeper | Jonna Tarala |
| Barangay San Roque | Best Audit & Inventory Team (AIT) | |
| Barangay Ilawod | Best Project Implementation Team (PIT) | |
| Barangay Tamburan | Best Procurement Team (PT) | |
| Barangay Bote | Best Barangay Representation Team (BRT) | |
| Barangay Sibacungan | Best Monitoring & Inspection Team (MIT) | |
| Barangay Bote | Best Operations & Management Team/Group (O&M) | |
| Barangay Guinobatan | Best Project Preparation Team (PPT) | |
| Barangay Cabugao | Best Barangay Council | |
| Barangay Bote | Best BSPMC | |
| Barangay Guinobatan | Best BSPMC Chairperson | Apolinario Tejerero |
| Brgy. Cabugao | Best Youth Volunteer | Jinky Rodriguez, AIT Member |
| Brgy. Bote | Best Senior Volunteer | Charles Teope, PIT Member |
| Brgy. Pananaogan | Best Women Volunteer | Letty Torcelino, BSPMC Chairperson & Parent Leader |
| Brgy. Cabugao | Best PWD Volunteer | Roel Tarlac, AIT Member |
Abello Frias, also a BSPMC Chairman from Brgy. Dacu, Mobo, Masbate was hailed as the national winner for the 2nd Bayani Ka! Awards for Luzon cluster last February 9, 2016 in Manila. His heroic deed in 2012 made him an exemplary volunteer. He forced his way into a storm (Public Storm Warning Signal No. 2 was raised) in a late evening to get their lot document notarized for their health center in Masbate City even if he is suffering from flu.
From 2014 to present, there are 64, 903 community volunteers (Women- 29,483, Men- 35,420) who are trained by DSWD on how they can manage their community sub-projects. They train on project management, community procurement, bookkeeping, community finance, etc.