At the Municipal Inter-Barangay Forum, members of Kalahi CIDSS Project Preparation Team in Governor Generoso, Davao Oriental cast their votes to select community projects to be funded.

Davao City – Four targeted Kalahi-CIDSS municipalities recently conducted a Municipal Inter-Barangay Forum (MIBF) for Participatory Resource Allocation (PRA).

The areas are Kapalong, Davao Del Norte; Governor Generoso, Davao Oriental; and Pantukan and Compostela in Compostela Valley.

The event is part of the community empowerment activity cycle (CEAC) of Kalahi-CIDSS where community volunteers present and defend their proposed sub-projects before representatives and Kalahi CIDSS volunteers of other barangays.

The MIBFs were attended by MLGU and BLGU Officials, Kalahi CIDSS Volunteers, Kalahi CIDSS Regional Finance Analyst Loudice Joyce L. Anas, Kalahi CIDSS Community Development Assistant Glenn Paul Ylan and Kalahi CIDSS Deputy Regional Program Manager Ma. Annabelle S. Jabla.

Involved in the MIBF are the three elected members of the Project Preparation Team (PPT) and the three members of Barangay Representation Team (BRT) which were chosen by the respective community.

“BRTs will attend a workshop where they decide the rules and sub-project ranking criteria for the MIBF while PPTs will prepare the proposal for their identified community sup-project,” explained Varnell M. Dagansan, Kalahi CIDSS Area Coordinator of San Isidro, Davao Oriental.

Prior to the MIBF, activities done in the community include municipal orientation, barangay assemblies, participatory situation analysis, criteria setting workshop, project development workshops, and capability building for community volunteers.

For the better

Quillano M. Sabello, 62, a father of four and elected as barangay sup-project committee chairman of Kingking, Patukan, shared how the social preparation activities and Kalahi-CIDSS trainings boosted his morale.

“I was very shy and was afraid to socialize with people other than our neighbors. With my experience in workshops, regular meetings, until the identification of our sub-projects, I became more confident.”

“Development is a dream that should be awakened in everyone’s heart. The community should look after it, embrace it, and share it. From then, empowerment will be multiplied and poverty will be alleviated, one initiative at a time,” Jabla pointed out.

Kalahi-CIDSS is one of DSWD’s anti-poverty programs. It recently scaled up into a national community-driven development program targeting to intensify meaningful participation of people in their own development by letting them decide for their community as well as linking them to basic services. DSWD

DSWD SURVEY. Director Priscilla N. Razon of DSWD posts advocacy stickers on a public jeep plying the Davao City downtown area during the launch of the Listahanan 2^nd Round Household Assessment Friday. From April upto end of June this year, DSWD targets 15.3 million households for enumeration nationwide while DSWD Davao Region will cover 793,770. DSWD Listahanan or Talaan ng mga Pamilyang Nangangailangan will determine who are the poor and where are they located, thus ensuring their inclusion as program participants/recipients. DSWD/PIA

SHELTER CONCERNS. Governor Arturo T. Uy of Compostela Valley Province discusses on Thursday with DSWD officials [L-R] Assistant Director Ma. Vilia L. Vigil, Regional Director Priscilla N. Razon and Budget Officer Teresita V. Mercado, the continuing implementation of Modified Shelter Assistance Program in the province. Over 12,000 permanent shelters have been earmarked for ComVal. DSWD

PWD WINNERS. James Infiesto [left] and Elmar Olivar pay a visit to DSWD Director Priscilla N. Razon following their winning stint in Manila. Infiesto is co-champion at the Philippine Paralympic Chessers National Championships-Orthopedically Handicapped Category in Ultra, Pasig and will compete in the 2015 ASEAN Para Games in Singapore in December. Olivar is gold medalist at the Philippine Paralympic Chessers Championships-B1 Completely Blind Category in Ultra, Pasig and will vie in the World Blinds Games in Seoul, Korea in May.

The two also attended the DSWD Monday Convocation to announce their victory and laud the support of DSWD. Infiesto said they practice 6-7 hours a day, six times a week to prepare for the competition. Infiesto is also coach of Team Philippines in the World Blinds Games in Korea. DSWD

[L-R] Provincial Social Welfare and Development Officer Arlene M. Semblante, Talaingod Mayor Basilio A. Libayao, and Kalahi-CIDSS Regional Community Development Specialist Nick Elvi Digol at the signing of the memorandum of agreement for the implementation of Kalahi-CIDSS PAMANA and Kalahi-CIDSS BUB.

Talaingod, Davao del Norte –“Ang DSWD padayon nga nag tabang sa mga lumad nga matagamtaman ang kalinaw pinaagi sa pagtukod og mga proyekto nga sila mismo ang nagdumala (DSWD continues to help indigenous people achieve peace through projects that they themselves manage),” shares 50 year-old Datu Lumansad Sibogan, a representative of the Tribal Council of Elders here.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the Local Government Unit recently renewed their commitment for the 4^th cycle of Kalahi CIDSS -PAMANA (Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services -Payapa at Masaganang Pamayanan) and Buttom Up Budgeting (BUB) implementation

The Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) was signed at Gazebo Balimba Hills, Barangay Sto. Niño. Present were Mayor Basilio A. Libayao, Vice Mayor Francisco G. Gipulla Jr, Provincial Social Welfare and Development Officer Arlene M. Semblante, Kalahi-CIDSS Community Development Specialist Nick Elvi Digol and the 15 tribal leaders.

To date, Kalahi-CIDSS PAMANA has completed 24 sub-projects here with a total cash grant of Php 13.5 million while the LGU contributed Php 8.93 in the three cycles.

BUB through DSWD also released Php 3.9 million with a local counterpart of Php 459,070.00 for sub-projects completed in sitios Cuyas, Barobo, Melyong and St. Anne.

Kalahi-CIDSS PAMANA already helped 4,196 households here through community sub-projects such as potable water system, drainage canal and low cost solar home lighting.

Apart from Kalahi-CIDSS, Talaingod is also covered by Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program and Sustainable Livelihood Program of DSWD.

Presently, there are 2,775 Pantawid Pamilya and 2,779 livelihood program participants in the town.

Mayor Libayao expressed his utmost appreciation to the community-driven development approach of DSWD. “Through this partnership, we aim to put a permanent and just closure to tribal wars and internal armed conflicts in our municipality.”

Intot Juan, 28, a Kalahi-CIDSS volunteer from Purok Nasilaban, Barangay Palma Gil, is thankful to DSWD for accessing basic social services in their community.

“I am grateful that inhumane acts due to tribal wars and armed conflicts are slowly put to an end through DSWD’s initiatives. What a tremendous relief that my family can now sleep peacefully at night.”

PAMANA, one of the modalities of Kalahi CIDSS, is the Philippine government’s program and framework for peace and development.

BUB on the other hand, is an approach to preparing the budget proposal of national government agencies, considering the development needs of cities/municipalities as identified in their respective Local Poverty Reduction Action Plans (LPRAP).

In 2015, a total of nine municipalities will be covered by Kalahi CIDSS PAMANA in Davao Region and 29 by Kalahi CIDSS BUB. DSWD

Rogelyn Cautivo, 12, graduated as class valedictorian at Lumondao Elementary School in Marilog, Davao City. Rogelyn is one of the 405 top performing Pantawid students in Davao Region for school year 2014-2015.

DAVAO CITY -Wearing her trusty backpack and clasping her textbooks on both hands, her bare feet covered in mud, 12-year old Rogelyn Cautivo traverses the usual hilly, mud-laden 1.5-kilometer path to her school in Lumondao, Marilog District, Davao City.

Rogelyn has been a consistent first honor student since Grade 1 and she graduates as class valedictorian this year.

Belonging to a Bagobo family, Rogelyn is the eldest of two siblings. Her family is one of the 1,461 Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program beneficiaries in Marilog, Davao City.

Rogelyn’s parents –Rowena, 38, and Roldan, 34, work at a local Nata de Coco factory in Calinan, Davao City. Working 7 days a week for a Php 120 daily salary, her parents squeeze in the little time they have to be able to visit their three children in Marilog.

“Wala mi makalampos og high school sa akoang bana. Busa dako kaayo amoang kalipay nga luyo sa kalisod sa amoang kinabuhi, nakita gyud namo ang paningkamot ni Rogelyn nga makalampos sa esklwela (My husband and I did not finish high school. That is why we are overjoyed that despite our impoverished situation, we saw how Rogelyn really worked hard to finish her studies),” Rowena shared.

Rogelyn and her siblings are left to the care of their 74-year old Lola Rosita who stood as both a mother and father to her grandchildren. “Dako kaayo ang akoang kalipay nga makatapos na si Rogelyn sa elementarya. Kugihan kaayo ni ang akoang apo. Inig human sa iyang klase kay motabang pa na siya og pangabo og tubig didto sa pikas buntod dayon mag-study (I am very happy that Rogelyn will now finish her elementary. She is very diligent. After class, she would help us fetch water from a spring in another hill before she works on her school assignments),” recounted Lola Rosita.

Rachelle Cuaton, Rogelyn’s adviser lauds how Pantawid Pamilya has helped the children beneficiaries in her school.

“Dako og nahatag nga suporta ang Pantawid Pamilya ilabi na sa edukasyon sa mga bata. Ma-engganyo ang mga ginikanan nga magpa-eskwela sa ilang mga anak ug ang mga bata malipayon nga moadto sa eskwelahan tungod sa programa (Pantawid Pamilya has provided a huge support especially in the education of children beneficiaries. Parents are encouraged to send their children to school  and the children, as well, are excited to go to school because of the program).”

Out of 14 graduating students from her class, 11 are beneficiaries of Pantawid Pamilya.

Rogelyn is one of the 405 top performing students in Davao Region who will graduate this year from elementary and high school.

“Ang Pantawid Pamilya usa sa instrumento nga gihatag sa atoa sa Ginoo aron makatabang busa atoa gyud kining ampingan. Sa mga kauban nako nga estudyante nga mo-graduate, dili kita mawad-an og paglaom, dapat maningkamot kita aron makahuman ta sa atoang pag-eskwela (Pantawid Pamilya is one of the instruments given by God to help us, hence we should take care of this. To my co-graduates, we should not lose hope, we should strive hard to be able to finish school),” stressed Rogelyn.

Now with her new umbrella and new pair of boots, Rogelyn will continue on walking the familiar path with confidence in her heart that she will be a step closer in achieving her dreams of being a teacher. DSWD