The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) through the Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (KALAHI-CIDSS) continue to bring community projects as a result of people’s participation as well as improved local governance as key principles of the program.

On January 25, 2023, DSWD-7 Regional Director Shalaine Marie S. Lucero witnessed the turnover of Php 3.6 million worth of information, education, and campaign (IEC) activities with the provision of DOH-recommended amenities, medical tools, equipment, supplies, PPEs, and disinfectants to eight (8) health stations in Manjuyod, Negros Oriental.

The provision of these resources is a result of the collaborative efforts of community volunteers and barangay officials in Balaas, Libjo, Poblacion, San Jose, Sta. Monica, Sundo-an, Suba, and Dungo-an. A volunteer group called the Barangay Development Council-Technical Working Group (BDC-TWG) oversees the implementation of their sub-projects, which they identified as their priority needs.

These items will be used by the health stations from the above-mentioned barangays to augment their resources in managing the COVID-19 pandemic and address other healthcare concerns in the community.

Previously, the municipality of Manjuyod also received several projects including the concreting of access roads in Barangays Alangilanan, Concepcion, Bagtic, and Lamogong; a pathway in Sacsac, and the improvement of existing health stations in San Isidro and Tubod. All these are funded under the Additional Financing of the National Community-Driven Development Program (NCDDP) of the KALAHI-CIDSS which aims to strengthen basic social services in poor municipalities in the country.

Director Lucero, who gave a message during the turnover ceremony, emphasized that these projects are supplemental to other DSWD programs such as the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), wherein partner-beneficiaries can benefit from the improved health stations in the monitoring of their health as well as improved accessibility for students going back and forth to their schools.

Further, she calls for strengthened operations and maintenance of these completed projects so that they will become sustainable and continue the vision of this town towards development free of poverty.

The total investment of DSWD KALAHI-CIDSS worth Php 15.9 million will not come into fruition without the support of the local government unit of Manjuyod, headed by Mayor Raffy Alipio S. Andaya, who is a community-driven development (CDD) strategy advocate. The KALAHI-CIDSS CDD brings people together and empowers them through active participation in different community activities. ###

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