DSWD Bicol’s Project LAWA at BINHI Strengthens Partnerships in EPAHP Inter-Agency Convergence Programs

The Department of Social Welfare and Development Field Office V – Bicol Region Risk Resiliency Program (RRP) – Project LAWA at BINHI actively participated in the Enhanced Partnership Against Hunger and Poverty (EPAHP) Supply Side Pillar Inter-Agency Convergence Meeting held on February 6, 2025, at the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) Regional Office V in Naga City.

The meeting, spearheaded by EPAHP Supply Side Pilar, aimed to foster linkages and explore future collaborations among key government agencies, including the Department of Agriculture (DA), Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), NIA, and the Department of Labor and Employment’s Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (DOLE-TUPAD) program in the Bicol Region.

Discussions centered on the priority targets of various programs, particularly Project LAWA at BINHI and DOLE-TUPAD, with a strong emphasis on supporting vulnerable sectors, community-based organizations, and farmer associations.

During the meeting, partner agencies such as BFAR, DA, and NIA expressed their commitment to support Project LAWA at BINHI through technical assistance, provision of essential farm inputs, including seedlings and fingerlings, water efficiency activities, and during the validation of proposed project sites. This collaborative effort aligns with EPAHP’s overarching goal of achieving “Walang Gutom” or zero hunger in the region.

To strengthen the implementation process, partner agencies will submit a list of community-based organizations and farmer associations recommended for prioritization.

This consolidated list will be endorsed to Project LAWA at BINHI and DOLE-TUPAD and will undergo assessment and validation in coordination with local government units (LGUs).

Project LAWA at BINHI, or the Local Adaptation to Water Access (LAWA) and Breaking Insufficiency through Nutritious Harvest for the Impoverished (BINHI), aims to strengthen the adaptive capacities of vulnerable families during calamities, addressing food insecurity and water scarcity exacerbated by weather phenomenon like El Niño and La Niña. It also aims to combat hunger and poverty while reducing communities’ vulnerability to disasters and climate change.

With the strengthened partnerships and collective commitment of agencies within the EPAHP network, DSWD Bicol remains confident that Project LAWA at BINHI will achieve successful implementation this year.#