The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) conducts a five-day national conference and training workshop in Central Visayas as part of the implementation preparations for the Philippine Community Resilience Project (PCRP) – Panahon ng Pagkilos.
Conducted from April 7 to 12, 2025, in Mandaue City, Cebu, the event features the National Safeguards Reorientation and Operations Manual Consultation Workshop, which focuses on reviewing and enhancing the project’s Social and Environmental Safeguards Manual.
The conference also aims to strengthen the Environment and Social Management Framework (ESMF) and operational guidelines to support the effective, community-driven implementation of the PCRP-Panahon ng Pagkilos.
In addition, sessions cover key safeguard components such as safeguard standards, gender and development, labor management procedures, grievance redress mechanisms, and the land acquisition and resettlement policy framework—designed to guide program implementers throughout the process.
Participants from the following various sectors: Social Process, Procurement, Engineering, Finance, Safeguards, Monitoring and Evaluation, Communications, Capability Building and Knowledge Management, and Program Management—actively participated in collaborative breakout sessions to align strategies and streamline program operations.
Atty. Bernadette Mapue-Joaquin, the national program manager, expressed optimism about the conference’s outcomes. She emphasized that the active engagement of national and regional teams is key to the success of the PCRP-Panahon ng Pagkilos.
“The projects delivered through previous community-driven development programs have significantly improved the lives of many Filipinos. With the launch of PCRP–Panahon ng Pagkilos, we hope to inspire even greater participation in addressing the urgent challenges of climate change,” Mapue said.
Meanwhile, DSWD Field Office 7 Regional Director Shalaine Marie S. Lucero, in her welcome remarks, challenged participants to surpass previous benchmarks, citing the swift and effective implementation of the Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (KALAHI-CIDSS) in recent years.
“We must not become complacent with our past successes,” she said. “Instead, we need to continuously innovate and ensure that our projects are sustainable—capable of withstanding the test of time and benefiting future generations of Filipinos.”
The Panahon ng Pagkilos project aims to empower local communities and strengthen resilience through inclusive and sustainable development initiatives.
The PCRP-Panahon ng Pagkilos has a project funding of Php 56.7 billion covering 500 municipalities nationwide from 2025 to 2030. The project will have to benefit 4.13 million households with various community projects.
In Central Visayas, the project would be rolled out across Cebu and Bohol starting July 2025, focusing on climate change adaptation, mitigation, and other resilience-building measures and community projects. ###
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