The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Feld Office V – Bicol Region is set to expand its Project LAWA at BINHI (Local Adaptation to Water Access and Breaking Insufficiency through Nutritious Harvest for the Impoverished) across all six provinces of the region in 2025.

This initiative will cover Camarines Sur, Camarines Norte, Albay, Masbate, Catanduanes, and Sorsogon, benefitting over 8,900 individuals in 33 vulnerable and disaster-prone municipalities and cities.

Among the identified beneficiaries are residents from the towns of Bagamanoc, Caramoran, Gigmoto, Pandan, and Viga in Catanduanes; Balud, Claveria, Monreal, Pio V. Corpuz, Milagros, San Fernando, Mobo, and San Jacinto in Masbate; Casiguran, Castilla, Donsol, Pilar, and Sta. Magdalena in Sorsogon; the cities of Ligao, Tabaco, and Legazpi, as well as the municipalities of Libon and Daraga in Albay; Libmanan, Buhi, Naga City, Calabanga, and Tinambac in Camarines Sur; and Labo, Jose Panganiban, Paracale, Mercedes, and Daet in Camarines Norte.

Under the project implementation, beneficiaries will participate in a three-phase, 20-day Cash-for-Training and Work (CFTW) modality aimed at building their skills and resilience.

The first phase consists of a three-day training covering Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR), Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation, Risk Resilience Program (RRP), and DSWD services. Beneficiaries will also receive training on executing identified projects related to water sufficiency, crop protection, pest control, waste management, environmental protection, and vermicomposting.

In the second phase, participants will undergo 15 days of hands-on project implementation, focusing on Water Sufficiency (Phase 1) and Food Security (Phase 2).

The final phase consists of a two-day session on project sustainability strategies to ensure long-term benefits for the communities.

Participants will receive compensation based on the prevailing Regional Daily Minimum Wage Rate (RDMWR) in their respective areas.

The project prioritizes farmers, fisherfolk, Indigenous Peoples, Persons with Disabilities (PWDs), and other vulnerable families identified through Listahanan 3 or validated by the Local Social Welfare and Development Office (LSWDO).

The 2025 implementation will be carried out in collaboration with various government agencies, including the Department of Agriculture (DA), Cooperative Development Authority (CDA), Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), and National Irrigation Administration (NIA).

DSWD Bicol has already conducted orientation sessions with all 33 recipient local government units (LGUs) and partner agencies to ensure smooth implementation of the project.

Project LAWA at BINHI is an initiative led by DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian in line with President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s 10-Point Agenda. It aims to provide socioeconomic support to vulnerable sectors while strengthening food and water security, key concerns amid the growing challenges of climate change.###