DSWD Region V recognized its active partners in gender mainstreaming under Kalahi-CIDSS during the Gender Congress last April 14-15, 2016 at Villa Caceres Hotel, Naga City, Camarines Sur.
Kalahi-CIDSS or Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services is a DSWD program that seeks to help alleviate poverty through community-driven development (CDD).
It was first implemented in Bicol in 2003 and has integrated the gender policy and development with the funding from Millennium Challenge Corporation in 2014 with a coverage of 15 poor municipalities in Camarines Sur, Camarines Norte and Catanduanes.
During the awarding ceremonies last April 15, Libmanan received the following awards: Best Barangay Gender and Development (GAD) volunteer for Salve Hermina of Brgy. Salvacion, Municipal GAD Focal Person for Daisy Antonio, Best Barangay for Brgy. Cambalidio and Outstanding Municipality.
The town of Gainza also received an accolade as an Outstanding Municipality.
Hermina, an elected volunteer in Kalahi-CIDSS under Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) for the concreting of their pathway, was also a member of their bantay-dagat who facilitated and organized a group of women to stop illegal fishing in their community to protect the ocean and its natural resources.
Her active participation in Kalahi-CIDSS as a volunteer and bantay-dagat earned her the recognition during the Gender Congress.
The 49-year old Hermina said: “Maski saro akong babae, nagkusog akong buot na kaya ko makipag dialogue maski wara akong halangkaw na pinagadalan pero halangkaw kaya ang pagtubod ko sa sakuyang sadiri na ako makakatabang maski saro akong babae.”
The said activity was participated in by selected BGAD volunteers and MGAD focal persons from municipalities with a funding from MCC, an independent U.S. foreign aid agency, for the implementation of Kalahi-CIDSS.
The gender mainstreaming initiatives of Kalahi-CIDSS was strengthened through its partnership with MCC that incorporated gender-focused activities and has accomplished the following from 2013 to present:
- 13 gender responsive community sub-projects with 2,276 beneficiaries (Female-1,401 and Male-875)
- 2,200 BGAD volunteers were trained (Female-1603 and Male-597)
- 629,604.00 women attended Barangay Assemblies
- 10,518 women volunteers were trained
- 14,789 women are members of the Kalahi-CIDSS Barangay Sub-Project Management Committee (BSPMC)
- 3,914 women are heads of the Kalahi-CIDSS BSPMC
Aside from the recognition of partners in Gender Mainstreaming, the Gender Congress conducted a workshop last April 14 to identify significant changes in the lives of the BGAD volunteers, assess status of mainstreaming gender at MLGU and BLGU levels, assess effectiveness or functionality of GIG sub-projects and its sustainability plan and develop recommendations to address challenges along gender mainstreaming initiatives or strengthen similar initiatives.
“DSWD believes and continues to fight for women empowerment. Through this activity, we were able to assess the initial gains of the gender mainstreaming initiatives in Kalahi-CIDSS,” Irene Malong, Regional Program Manager of Kalahi-CIDSS, said.
Kalahi-CIDSS completed 532 out of 679 community sub-projects in 26 poor municipalities of Bicol with a grant of PhP797,682,994.00 from Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC).
On the other hand, the operations of the CDD approach expanded into a national scale, which was tried and proven effective by Kalahi-CIDSS. 101 poor municipalities in Bicol are under its expansion from 2014 to 2019 with a total of grant of Php4,497,448,178.