DSWD-Eastern Visayas completes P1.7-B anti-poverty projects in H1

TACLOBAN CITY: At least 1,504 subprojects of the anti-poverty Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (KALAHI-CIDSS) have been completed in the first half of 2024, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) reported on Wednesday. The central government has poured some PHP1.7 billion into these poverty alleviation projects, including some components of the Philippine Multi-Sectoral Nutrition Project (PMNP), DSWD regional information officer Jonalyndie Chua said in a phone interview. Out of the total number of sub-projects, 461 are in Leyte province, 382 in Samar, 189 in Northern Samar, 323 in Eastern Samar, 130 in Southern Leyte, and 19 in Biliran. The completed project from January to June 2024 accounts for 48 percent of the program's 3,214 target sub-projects this year. The remaining projects are up for completion before the program closes in September. 'These sub-projects are responsive to community needs as the program aims to deliver service s that communities prefer, such as farm-to-market roads, drainage canals, and the improvement and rehabilitation of health centers, among others,' Chua said. Other projects include community water systems, school buildings, electrification, footbridges, footpaths, pre- and post-harvest facilities, small-scale irrigation systems, flood control systems, sea walls, artificial reef sanctuaries, soil protection structures, and eco-tourism projects. Under PMNP, these subprojects are rehabilitation and improvement of daycare centers, latrines, and other early childhood care and development facilities. KALAHI-CIDSS is one of the poverty alleviation programs of the national government being implemented by the DSWD and uses the community-driven development (CDD) approach. CDD helps communities in poor municipalities identify challenges around reducing poverty and make informed decisions on a range of locally identified options for development, including how this is made and in what form. It also gives control over resources to address local poverty. 'Using the CDD approach of the program, communities are given the opportunity to be empowered and capacitated through the participation of active community volunteers, as they are given the power to decide, prioritize, and oversee the sub-project implementation,' Chua added. The approach also builds the capacity of both governments and civil society stakeholders to aid and respond to calls for support from poor communities as they implement development initiatives. Source: Philippines News Agency