The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Field Office XI was recognized as the Best Regional Field Office for its outstanding implementation of Project LAWA at BINHI during the Visayas-Mindanao Experiential Exchange Learning Visit held from June 9 to 13, 2025, in Dipolog City and selected municipalities of Zamboanga del Norte.

This recognition highlights DSWD XI’s exemplary performance in implementing the Risk Resiliency Program – Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation (RRP-CCAM), particularly its delivery of climate-responsive interventions that promote sustainable livelihoods, food and water security, inclusive development, and disaster resilience in vulnerable communities across the Davao Region.

Project LAWA (Local Adaptation to Water Access) at BINHI (Breaking Insufficiency through Nutritious Harvest for the Impoverished) is a national initiative of the DSWD that aims to empower vulnerable communities by promoting sustainable water and food systems, reducing poverty and malnutrition, enhancing climate resilience, and fostering participatory local governance.

“We dedicate this award to the communities we serve in the Davao Region—farmers, fisherfolk, Indigenous Peoples, women, and other sectors who continue to rise in the face of climate challenges,” said Karen Gayonan, Regional Focal for the Risk Resiliency Program (RRP) of DSWD XI. “This recognition is a product of bayanihan—from the field workers to our partner LGUs who believe in the power of localized, people-centered climate solutions.”

DSWD XI was recognized based on five key criteria: regional relevance and innovation, measurable outcomes in food and water access, replicability, inclusive stakeholder participation—especially among Indigenous Peoples, women, and other vulnerable groups—and effective knowledge dissemination. The field office’s strategies were lauded for their transformative impact on community livelihoods and strong local engagement.

The week-long Experiential Exchange Learning Visit fostered cross-regional learning on climate adaptation through site visits, assessments, and knowledge-sharing. Field offices from Visayas and Mindanao shared best practices on income generation, financial literacy, and the inclusion of former persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) and friends rescued in livelihood programs, promoting peaceful reintegration and inclusive development. Participants also emphasized the need to scale and adapt successful models of Project LAWA at BINHI across diverse local contexts.

During the exchange hosted by DSWD Field Office IX, delegates visited project sites in the municipalities of Manuel Roxas and Sergio Osmeña, showcasing successful community models such as water impounding systems, organic farming, aquaculture, and inclusive governance practices.

The DSWD XI delegation was led by Karen Gayonan, Regional Focal for the Risk Resiliency Program, and included provincial focal persons Jonaire Concepcion (Davao City), Dale Rene Libay (Davao del Sur), Jo Ann Labio (Davao Occidental), and Luigi Garzon (Davao de Oro). The team presented the region’s experiences and best practices, highlighting concrete results in food production, livelihood enhancement, and how it effectively mobilized local stakeholders and empowered beneficiaries through community-based approaches under Project LAWA at BINHI.

This accolade not only affirms DSWD XI’s leadership in advancing climate-adaptive programs but also opens more opportunities for interregional collaboration, knowledge sharing, and scaling of good practices across the country.