Seven (7) community groups will be honored during the 6^th Regional Bayani Ka! Awards at Casablanca Hotel on Thursday, July 25.

The Bayani Ka! Awards is an annual event of the Department of Social Welfare and Development Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan – Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (DSWD Kalahi-CIDSS) to recognize community volunteers who took the initiative in improving their communities.

The recognition also aims to develop a pool of champions that will help in promoting the institutionalization of community-driven development (CDD).

CDD is a globally recognized strategy that empowers communities in planning, budgeting and implementing community projects or interventions needed in their communities.

The organizations were nominated by the DSWD employees deployed in different municipalities implementing the said program. The nomination is based on the impact and engagement of the volunteer groups who actively participate in the implementation of the program.

These organizations were classified into eight categories: gender and development, elderly, youth, promotion of just peace, sustained community volunteer group, persons with disability (PWD), improved local governance and environmental protection.

The nominations were judged through a desk review held last May 15 at Fiesta Ballroom Suites and Restaurant, Legazpi City, Albay. The technical working group is composed of partner-agency representatives and selected DSWD workers.

Each regional winner will receive a development incentive worth Php 10,000.00 which will be added to the group’s developmental funds.

Here is the complete list of winners:

Gender and Development Category

WINNER: LGBTQ OF PIÑA – Brgy. Piña, San Jacinto, Masbate

Elderly Category

WINNER: Alas Barangay Sub-Project Management Committee -Brgy. Alas, Mandaon, Masbate* (Regional Winner for two categories)

Persons with Disability (PWD) Category

Winner: Alas Barangay Sub-Project Management Committee – Brgy. Alas, Mandaon, Masbate*

Youth Category

Winner: Mabini Barangay Sub-Project Management Committee – Brgy. Mabini, Uson, Masbate

Promotion of Just Peace

Winner: Solar Panel Barangay Bugtong Organization – Brgy. Bugtong, Mandaon, Masbate

Sustained Community Volunteer Group Category

Winner: Mambalite Planters and Workers Association – Brgy. Mambalite, Libmanan, Camarines Sur

Improved Local Governance Category

Winner: Local Government Unit of Mandaon – Mandaon, Masbate

Environment Protection Category

Winner: Matang Lawin Fisherfolk Association – Brgy. Salvacion, Libmanan, Camarines Sur

In line with this, the department will also give special citation to the Local Government Unit (LGU) of Bula for its exemplary efforts on CDD institutionalization through the Municipal Talakayan ordinance approved last February 6, 2019.

The Municipal Talakayan is an evaluation tool which has been designed as face-to-face interaction with the people and the government to discuss the overall development of municipalities being assisted by DSWD Kalahi-CIDSS. /ramsertan/