Project Preparation Team (PPT) heads explain and defend their community proposals during the 3rd Local Development Council Meeting. (Photo/Text by: Marilou Salvino)

The Local Government Unit of Bula, Camarines Sur used the Community-Driven Development (CDD) approach for the prioritization of community projects.
Under the Municipal Community-Driven Development Program (MCDDP), the LGU adopted the Municipal Inter-Barangay Forum – Participatory Resource Allocation (MIBF-PRA), an inclusive and transparent way to identify priority community projects during its 3rd Local Development Council Meeting last September 21, 2022.

The MIBF-PRA is part of the Community Empowerment Activity Cycle (CEAC) of the Department of Social Welfare and Development Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan – Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (DSWD KALAHI-CIDSS) wherein projects are funded based on the criteria set by the communities.

A total of three (3) million pesos was allocated by the LGU that came from the 20% Local Development Fund to implement community proposals identified using the CDD approach.

Six (6) barangays submitted their proposals namely, Barangay Lubgan with proposed Concreting of Pathway amounting to Php 750,000.00; Barangay Itangon proposed Concreting of Farm to Market Road worth Php 900,000.00; Barangay Kinalabasahan with proposed Construction of 200 linear meter Drainage Canal amounting to Php 1,200,000.00; Barangay San Miguel proposed the Concreting of Access Road with funding requirement of Php 1,500,000.00; Barangay San Francisco requested Php 4,200,000.00 for their proposed Concreting of Farm to Market Road; and Barangay Lanipga with their Php 1,500,000.00 proposal for the Concreting of Barangay Road.

Community Volunteers who are Project Preparation Team (PPT) heads presented their proposals to the Local Development Council.

Through closed ballots, Barangay Chairpersons, Civil Society Organization representatives, LGU Department Heads, and the Sangguniang Bayan (SB) representatives including Municipal Mayor Amelita Ibasco cast their votes based on the criteria set by the municipality.

According to Melalie Luzon, PPT Head of Barangay Itangon, the KALAHI-CIDSS program is very much alive in the municipality of Bula because the citizens experience how to help communities and the government.

“Ang mga gawaing natutunan naming sa KALAHI-CIDSS ay aming ipagpapatuloy; ito ang magiging daan tungo sa pagkamit naming ng tunay na pag-asenso para sa pangkahalatan,” she noted.

(All the tasks we learned from KALAHI-CIDSS are still being continued until the present; with this, it will serve as a way for us to achieve the true development of the majority.)

The criteria for the ranking of proposals are as follows:
1. The project will directly contribute to the attainment of LGU’s vision (30%);
2. The project will benefit the constituents specifically the marginalized sector (10%);
3. The project will also benefit nearby barangays (10%);
4. The project will help in resolving the present need of the barangay (30%);
5. The community submitted the proposal prior to the set timeline (10%); and
6. The presenter clearly presented the objectives of the project proposal (10%)

The top three (3) proposals that were prioritized came from Barangays Lubgan, Itangon, and Kinalabasahan. These projects will be implemented this year, 2022.

The activity was facilitated by the Municipal Coordinating Team (MCT) headed by Municipal Area Coordinator Abner Colarina under the supervision of Dr. Mary Ruth Parro, Municipal Planning and Development Officer.

The LGU of Bula has been using the CDD process of identifying projects since 2019.

With reports from Marilou Salvino, Area Coordinator

ABOUT CDD INSTITUTIONALIZATION

Presently, DSWD KALAHI-CIDSS is strengthening its call for the institutionalization of CDD as a national strategy for community empowerment and poverty alleviation.

Through CDD, communities are given the power to identify, prioritize, implement, and manage solutions to their community’s most pressing needs.

To learn more about CDD Institutionalization, click here: https://kalahi.dswd.gov.ph/institutionalization/cdd-bill