Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rolando Joselito D. Bautista (second from right) is joined by Kapangan, Benguet Mayor Manny Fermin; DSWD Kalahi-CIDSS National Program Manager Janet P. Armas; and a Kalahi-CIDSS volunteer during the ground breaking ceremony for the enhancement of the Amburayan-Abiang Access Road.
Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rolando Joselito D. Bautista (second from right) is joined by Kapangan, Benguet Mayor Manny Fermin; DSWD Kalahi-CIDSS National Program Manager Janet P. Armas; and a Kalahi-CIDSS volunteer during the ground breaking ceremony for the enhancement of the Amburayan-Abiang Access Road.

In continuation of the efforts of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to empower communities around the country through the Community-Driven Development (CDD) approach, Secretary Rolando Joselito D. Bautista led the ground-breaking and ribbon-cutting ceremony for the seven Kapit Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (Kalahi-CIDSS) Kapangyarihan at Kaunlaran sa Barangay (KKB) sub-projects in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) on December 29, 2020 in Kapangan, Benguet.

The Kalahi-CIDSS KKB approach ensures people-centered development by providing capacity-building and implementation support to poverty-disadvantaged and disaster-affected municipalities. Through the program, community members actively participate to identify and prioritize their community’s problems and allow them to design, implement, and manage solutions to their priority problems.

The sub-projects include the improvement of the Keyang, Gadang Access Road; improvement of Gaswiling (Bekes-Benin) Access Road; enhancement of the Amburayan-Abiang Access Road; construction of Munkelat Level II Water Supply System; construction of the day care center in Brgy. Tawangan, Kabayan, Benguet; construction of three units of vegetable drying shed in Brgy. Duacan, Kabayan, Benguet; and construction of footpath in Brgy. Poblacion, Villaviciosa, Abra.

The seven sub-projects, amounting to more than P9.3 million, are expected to benefit a total of 1,498 household beneficiaries from four municipalities in the Region.

Meanwhile, the Department was also able to accomplish three Kalahi-CIDSS sub-projects in Kapangan, Benguet through the implementation of the Disaster Response Operations Procedure (DROP) approach.

DROP allowed Kalahi-CIDSS communities to shift their operations from regular developmental activities into a disaster response modality to hasten the approval of community projects that will enable the restoration of the community to a pre-disaster level of functioning.

The accomplished sub-projects include the distribution of hygiene kits and cleaning materials to residents, procurement of communication devices available for the continuous campaign and advocacy against the current pandemic, and the purchase and delivery of Department of Health (DOH)-approved medical tools and equipment.

In his message during the ceremony, Secretary Bautista highlighted the importance of the projects to assist community members in addressing their needs during the pandemic.

Ang mga proyektong ito ay sadyang malaking maitutulong sa ating mamamayan upang lubos na mapaghandaan at mapagtagumpayan ang kasalukuyang pandemiya ng COVID-19,” Secretary Bautista said.

At sa likod ng mga proyektong ito ay hindi natin nakakalimutan ang tunay na layunin ng program ng Kalahi-CIDSS, kung saan ang patuloy na pagsasabuhay ng prinsipyo ng CDD, ang pagkilala sa kahalagahan ng partisipasyon ng bawat isa sa makabuluhang pagpaplano at pagdedesisyon, pagkakaroon ng transparency at accountability lalo na sa patuloy nating pagtugon sa mga pangangailangan ng ating mga mamamayan,” the Secretary added.

Also present in the event were Kapangan, Benguet Mayor Manny Fermin; DSWD Kalahi-CIDSS National Program Manager Janet P. Armas; DSWD-CAR OIC Assistant Director for Administration Enrique Gascon Jr.; and Office of Senator Ronald Dela Rosa’s Luzon Political and External Affairs Head Ms. Nicholai Buendia.

The Department, through Kalahi-CIDSS, will continue to empower communities by giving them access and allowing them to maximize their own resources to address their pressing needs. ###