Legazpi City─The DSWD Field Office V officially launched the National Community-Driven Program (NCDDP) last October 16, 2014 at Police Regional Office V, Camp General Simeon A. Ola, Legazpi City with the attendance of mayors and governors who forged the Memorandum of Agreement to formally start its implementation.
Dir. Garcia together with the mayors all over Bicol region has formalized the engagement of local government units (LGUs) through the ceremonial signing of the MOA to address poverty and accept KALAHI CIDSS─NCDDP in their respective municipalities.
They released balloons as symbol of rise from poverty and the leaders showed their support to the project by stamping their handprints on the commitment board with the project’s tagline, “Kaya natin ang pagbabago kapag magkakapit-bisig tayo!”
NCDDP scales-up the community-driven development (CDD) strategy, which was proven effective by Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (KALAHI CIDSS) in its past 11 years of implementation in the Philippines.
CDD champions, the advocates of KALAHI CIDSS─NCDDP, who had previously implemented the project, were also present during the launching. They shared their experiences on how the project had improved the quality of the Bicolanos’ lives through the CDD approach.
KALAHI CIDSS has been implemented in all six provinces of Bicol region since 2003, addressing the most pressing need of a village with the collaborative efforts of local residents and their LGUs.
From 48 municipalities it will now expand to 101 municipalities from 2014 to 2018. About 4.5 billion is the total community grant to fund the expansion of the project in all provinces.
This year, 92 municipalities will implement the said project and the remaining will implement in the succeeding years.
The table below shows the total grant allocation per province under KALAHI CIDSS─NCDDP implementation 2014-2018:
Province Community Grant
Albay 304,884,950.00
Camarines Norte 459,157,540.00
Camarines Sur 1,888,007,990.00
Catanduanes 247,146,675.00
Masbate 941,078,020.00
Sorsogon 657,173,000.00
TOTAL 4,497,448,175.00
The selection of the municipalities was based on 2010 poverty incidence and those affected by Typhoon Yolanda. Last June, all eligible LGUs were required by DSWD to submit enrolment requirements to check their capacities in implementing the project.
Moreover, LGUs are engaged in providing technical assistance and local counterpart contribution to pursue subprojects such as health centers, school buildings, concrete pathways, water systems and other development interventions funded under KALAHI CIDSS─NCDDP.
“The involvement of the people in the implementation of community-identified subprojects promotes the key principles of participation, transparency and accountability in KALAHI CIDSS─NCDDP which improves our local governance,” DSWD Dir. Arnel B. Garcia said.
CDD puts the power back in the hands of the people by giving them the opportunity to make informed decisions on locally identified options for development and manage resources to implement subprojects that address needs identified by communities themselves.
KALAHI CIDSS─NCDDP is one of the poverty alleviation programs of the Philippine Government being implemented by the DSWD along with Panatwid Pamilyang Pilipino Program and Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP). One of the target groups of the KALAHI CIDSS─NCDDP community subprojects are Pantawid Pamilya beneficiaries as well.
The DSWD in Bicol had started to pool applicants last March to fill up 1,315 job vacancies for the project’s expansion this year. The training for the hired field staff had started last September until next month.
The national launching of the project was done in Ormoc, Leyte last June 23, 2014.