The Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) will fund the construction of additional classrooms in areas where Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (Kalahi-CIDSS) was previously implemented.

A total of 83 classrooms and day care centers (DCCs) will be constructed in the first semester of 2013 to better address the educational needs of Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) children .

Beneficiary barangays were identified through the community driven development (CDD) approach employed by Kalahi-CIDSS.

Kalahi-CIDSS is a CDD Project of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) wherein communities collectively gathes data on their existing conditions, analyze identified issues, and define appropriate development interventions to address  their needs. Barangay assemblies are conducted to validate these findings.

Through Kalahi-CIDSS, community empowerment is ensured by giving people authority and control over decisions and resources of their community.

With a total grant of PhP 89,760,000.00, AusAID will be piloted in the municipalities of Donsol, Claveria, Libon, Pioduran, Manito, Rapu-Rapu, Palanas, and Cataingan during the first semester of 2013.

Kalahi-CIDSS, 4Ps, and Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) are the core social protection programs of DSWD. The convergence of these programs aims to enhance the department’s contribution in the achievement of a more sustainable and tangible impact on poverty reduction in the country. ###jmarbella