Many of the projects produced by the Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (KALAHI-CIDSS) are perceived to be duplications of projects implemented by other government agencies.

Among the common projects implemented are facilities and roads that are identified by members of the community as their primary needs. However, KALAHI-CIDSS does not think of competing or bypassing other programs, either funded by the local government units or other national government agencies, but rather creates a platform where people can take part in community development with projects as their products of participation.

During the implementation, LGUs and volunteers are led through a series of capacity-building activities and local planning processes, from barangay assemblies to municipal inter–agency council meetings where local officials and stakeholders, like people’s organizations, all come up with a decision to identify what projects can best respond to their needs.

In Alcoy, Cebu, all eight (8) barangays decided to come up with a municipal isolation facility with amenities and medical supplies worth Php 11 million. This project fills the gap in public health by allocating resources through community grants and augmenting local response to the COVID-19 pandemic, which is useful for rural health personnel in providing basic services to grassroots communities.

Impressed by what KALAHI-CIDSS has done to his township, local chief executive Michael Angelo Sestoso expressed gratitude to the program during the turnover ceremony. “Nakauyon ko nga gi-usa na lang ang proyekto sa KALAHI-CIDSS ug gitukod kini dinhi sa Barangay Atabay para mapahimuslan kini sa tanang katawhan sa Alcoy (I agree with the consolidated project of KALAHI-CIDSS built here in Barangay Atabay so that all the people of Alcoy can benefit from it),” Sestoso responded to the clustering of project in one barangay.

KALAHI-CIDSS’ advocacy to promote community participation while giving people opportunities to come up with projects will prevent vulnerable sectors from falling back into poverty due to limited access to basic services.

Josette A. Torreon, a volunteer for the Project Implementation Team (PIT), told KALAHI-CIDSS about her experience that transformed the way she thinks of the program. She shared that the project was not spared by challenges, especially during the time when Typhoon Odette hit the southern part of Cebu, where the town of Alcoy was one of the badly-hit areas.

Among the many challenges they faced was the limited supply of materials in the market since hardware supplies are mostly sought after for rebuilding, as well as logistics.

“Nibarog kining proyekto dinhi sa Alcoy tungod sa KALAHI-CIDSS pinaagi sa tiunay nga pagtabang sa programa ngadto sa katawhan. Apan labaw sa tanan, gihatagan kami og turno nga makakupot og mikropono aron mapahibaw kung unsa ang mga panginahanglanon dinhi sa among komunidad (This project stood here in Alcoy because of KALAHI-CIDSS through the program’s genuine assistance to the people. But most of all, we were given a turn to voice our concerns and make known the needs of our community),” Torreon said.

With the learning experience they have received from KALAHI-CIDSS, LGU Alcoy vows to fund the operations and maintenance of the completed project so that more people can benefit from it. Both members of the community and officials pledged their commitment to maintain and keep their project functional with barangay health workers (BHWs) and barangay ‘tanods’ that will man the facility at all times.

Taking people’s welfare into consideration and underlining the importance of developing vulnerable communities, KALAHI-CIDSS believes that not only in Alcoy but the rest of Central Visayas will be able to see development in grassroots communities. ###

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