The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), through its Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan – Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (KALAHI-CIDSS) is rolling out the Panahon ng Pagkilos: Philippine Community Resilience Project (PCRP) in 53 municipalities in the Bicol Region with the commencement of Municipal Resilience Team (MResT) Organizational Meetings this July 2026.

From the 79 target municipalities in the Bicol region, currently, 53 municipalities which comprised of two (2) municipalities from Camarines Norte, 27 from Camarines Sur, three (3) from Catanduanes, six (6) from Albay, seven (7) from Sorsogon, and eight (8) from Masbate are implementing the program this year, while remaining 29 municipalities will start in 2027.  Both batches of municipalities will undergo a three-year implementation period to ensure the sustained community engagement and institutionalization of resilience-building processes.

The first batch of implementation has an investment of P2,990,000,000.00 Municipal Grant Allocation and P598,000,000.00 Local Counterpart Contribution (LCC) from the participating local government units.

The PCRP is a successor project of KALAHI-CIDSS which aims to strengthen community capacities for participatory resilience planning and increase access to resilience investments in vulnerable areas. It uses the Community-Driven Development (CDD) approach wherein it empowers communities to identify their own priorities, participate in local planning and budgeting, manage and implement development projects, monitor and maintain the project gains.

The municipalities were selected based on its exposure to environmental and natural hazards, stunting rate among children, and Indigenous Peoples (IP) population fraction. Under the project, the 1^st to 3^rd class municipalities will receive P50 million grant allocation, while 4^th to 6^th class municipalities will be allocated with P70 million grant.

Regional Director Norman S. Laurio highlighted that the project focuses mainly on empowering the communities to become active partners in building resilience.

“The Philippine Community Resilience Project is mainly anchored in investing in the people. Through the CDD approach, the communities themselves become the planners, builders, and managers of their resilience by identifying their priorities and taking ownership of their initiatives that will benefit not just the present but also the future generations,” Director Laurio explained.

He furthered that increasing community participation is important to ensure that resilience measures are responsive to the local experiences and realities.

“Each community has its own unique risks and strengths. PCRP provides the opportunity for citizens, LGUs, and other stakeholders to work hand-in-hand in designing solutions that are inclusive, sustainable, and anchored on the actual needs of the community. This collaborative strategy promotes that inclusivity for the resilient development,” he shared.

After the organizational meetings in the 53 municipalities, it will be followed by First Barangay Assemblies and the Participatory Risk and Vulnerability Assessment (PRVA), where community members will collectively identify hazards, analyze vulnerabilities, map available resources, and prioritize resilient investments.

Through the planning process, communities will identify sub-projects that respond to their most pressing resilience needs. Investments under the PCRP will fall under three (3) major categories: (1) resilience community services and facilities, (2) support for resilient economic and livelihood activities, and (3) nature-based solutions for ecosystem conservation and protection.