“Sa wala pa kining footbridge daghan na ang na aksidente dinhing lugara, ilabi na sa mga bagyong nangagi. Lisod kayo ilabi na sa mga estudyante nga molabang diring dapita. Nakalasan na kinig kinabuhi sa usa ka bata samtang naglabang gamit ang gakit (makeshift raft), nalambud ang pisi hinungdan nga natuwad ang gakit ug nalumos ang bata (Before this footbridge was built, accidents happened here especially during typhoons. It claimed the life of a child who was crossing the river using the makeshift raft, when the rope he was holding on got tangled which caused the raft to capsize),” shared Salome Agsoy, PPT Chairperson of Barangay Fortaliza, Tuburan, Cebu.

Kalahi-CIDSS footbridge in Brgy. Fortaliza, Tuburan, Cebu.

Barangay Fortaliza is one of the 54 barangays in Tuburan. Most of these barangays are located in the mountains while Fortaliza is situated in the lowland. The barangay serves as the “catch basin” of the water from the upland area. Whenever heavy rainfall comes the 25 hectares of land will be filled with water. It takes 6 months for the water to recede.

This has been the problem of the community every time there is flood. The floodwater would damage the community’s livelihood, and not only that, it posed danger to the community most especially to the 60 elementary students and approximately 150 high school students of Colonia National High School from Barangay Caridad, Kansi, Bakyawan and Gaang. These children would cross the field using the makeshift raft also known as “gakit”. It came to a point where the school’s attendance was greatly affected because students preferred to be absent in class than to take the risk in crossing the field on a raft.

The residents were desperate to really build a safe passage for the residents, most especially for the students. When DSWD Kalahi-CIDSS came, the residents were hopeful that their dream footbridge will soon rise.

Luckily, during the Municipal Inter-Barangay Forum (MIBF), barangay Fortaliza was prioritized. The community volunteers could not contain their emotions; the footbridge would now be a dream come true for them.

For these people who had been longing for a solution to their problem considered DSWD Kalahi-CIDSS as an answer to their prayers. “This bridge provides the students and the community folks a safe passage to access basic social services at the town proper. It would help the business establishments and commerce to prosper in our barangay most especially in the sitios directly affected by this floodwaters,” added Salome.

The 140 Households of Sitio San Miguel who are the direct beneficiaries are very happy to have the footbridge.

The footbridge in Fortaliza has not only provided a safe passage but it also opens to opportunities to the residents as well as to the barangay. When the footbridge was completed, it stirs curiosity to tourist and neighboring town.

“There are passersby who would really stop and take pictures in the footbridge, there are also some instances where it was used as location for pre-nup shoot,” shared Annalyn Cuer, barangay councilor of Fortaliza.

The footbridge is really a site that would create wonder. It proudly stands in the middle of a cornfield.

“This is a dream come true, this was worth all the sacrifices and the ridicule that we received from the non-volunteers which I just ignored. I held my head high when the footbridge was finally done,” recalled Salome. ###

Most people would agree that money is commodity. People work to provide for the family. Some would bet in game of chance to win millions.  Also, would do anything to get fast cash, but there are also a few honest people who have a pure heart and returned big amount of cash without expecting something in return. Mrs. Jeany L. Nieves a former Kalahi-CIDSS Community Volunteer, and currently a Barangay Treasurer of Barangay Kandingan, Aloguinsan, Cebu is one of those few honest people.

Jeany flashes a huge smile after she returns the money to the bank.

Jeany, 37-year-old mother of two is a former Barangay Sub-Project Management Committee-Chairperson during the 1st cycle of implementation of DSWD Kalahi-CIDSS in their town. Her dedication and her skills in managing people, especially in being transparent in every transaction they made as a community volunteers of DSWD Kalahi-CIDSS, is the reason why the Barangay Local Government Unit appointed Jeany to be their Barangay Treasurer.

In the implementation of DSWD Kalahi-CIDSS, the barangay treasurer, who is the only one bonded in the community, is tasked to do bank transactions, disburse funds and process weekly payments for the laborers working for the sub-project in their barangay.

In one ordinary afternoon of July 3, 2018, Jeany went to the bank to encash for the salary of paid laborers for the barangay sub-project. After paying the laborers, she noticed that she still has a good amount of cash left. She thought that maybe the bank teller had released more than the amount of the check she encashed. She returned to the Bank in Toledo City and gave the money to the teller. “Giuli gyud nako ang money kay dili man to ako (I returned the money, because it is not mine to keep) shared Jeany, recalling the incident.

The bank manager and the teller did not notice the overpayment until Jeany came on that same afternoon informing the teller that she released an excess of Php 17,500.00.

The Kalahi-CIDSS community volunteers like Jeany were trained to be transparent and to really value the money’s worth and to diligently keep track of the resources and expenditures. This is what the program is all about, to mold people into good citizens and be advocates of change in the community.

“Sa training gitudluan mi nga ibatasan ang transparency, ug isip usa ka treasurer, kinahanglan nga matinud-anon ko sa trabaho kay ga involve man kini og kwarta (In Kalahi-CIDSS training we were taught to practice transparency, and as a treasurer, I have to be honest with my work because it involves money),” added Jeany when asked about her reason of doing things right. ###

In the 4th cycle of implementation of the DSWD’s Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan – Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (Kalahi-CIDSS) in the town of Moalboal, all 15 barangays vied to get prioritized for funding.

All the 15 barangays of Moalboal are ready for their presentation during the Municipal Inter-Barangay Forum Participatory Resource Allocation (MIBF-PRA).

Out of the 15, 7 barangays were prioritized for the Php 12,454,200 municipal grant namely: Barangay Tomonoy. Agbalanga, Bala, Bugho Batad, Tunga, Batadbatad and Basdiot. Four (4) of these barangays proposed for concreting of access roads and three (3) for school buildings.

The community Volunteers of Barangay Basdiot who got the last spot were so thankful but were also worried, for they have to produce a total of Php 1,183,800 for their Local Cash Counterpart (LCC) for the construction of 1 unit 2 classroom building.

“Dako-dako gyud ang among gikinahanglan para sa counterpart pero amo ning paningkamotan, magtinabangay lang, kay gikinahanglan gyud namo ang elementary school building (We need a big amount for our counterpart, but we will find a way,we will work together because we really need this),” expressed Barangay Captain Cirilo Tapales.

Not only the community volunteers who were so happy with the result but also the students who will be benefitting the classroom building. “I am very happy even if we were at the bottom of the list, we will now have an additional classroom,” said Beverly Llamedo, a student of Basdiot Elementary School.

“As soon as I saw the result and knew that we have to put up a huge counterpart, I texted Captain Tapales to accept and need not worry, because we, the community volunteers will support this project and make it happen,” shared Shiela Muhammad, Barangay Representation Team Chairperson of Basdiot.

“The community volunteers have gone through a lot since DSWD Kalahi-CIDSS started in our town. This is not a thing to worry about, if we are united and we will work on this together, we can make it happen,” shared Shiela after the activity.

These processes give the common people a chance to identify their needs and to decide what need should be addressed first. The Kalahi-CIDSS program in its many years of implementation in the region, has been teaching community folks to be participative, it also teaches them to voice out their need and to decide what is good for their community.

In the Municipal Inter Barangay Forum Participatory Resource Allocation, the community volunteers were taught on how to effectively present their problems and how to encourage others to be vigilant and to be involved in every activity of the community.

The Kalahi-CIDSS processes have been proven in years of practice to be effective because volunteers are taught to participate in the affairs of the community and decide for its own development. ###

The Municipality of Panglao bagged the National Gapas Award 2018 as the Best LGU Implementing Kalahi-CIDSS, the award was received by Honorable Mayor Leonila P. Montero received the award on February 15, 2019 at the Land Bank of the Philippines Manila during the DSWD Panata Ko sa Bayan Awards Ceremony.

Honorable Leonila P. Montero, Mayor of the Local Government Unit of Panglao, Bohol, receives the 2019 PaNata Ko Sa Bayan Awards under the sub-category GAPAS Award: Model LGU Implementing Kalahi-CIDSS.

One of the many points why LGU Panglao got the award is their drive to give a true service to its constituents. The Municipality of Panglao consistently provides support to the identified needs of the barangays especially those who are not funded under Kalahi-CIDSS.  In the implementation of the Kalahi-CIDSS Program in the municipality, the Local Government Unit of Panglao has been improving its performance in every cycle especially in terms of the sub-project implementation. Not once has it gone beyond 180 days’ limit of completing the sub-project.

The LGU is also good in managing resources, from a total of Php 34,858,600.00 of Kalahi grants and local counterpart in 3 cycles they were able to utilize Php 34,633,111.14 or 99.35% of funds received and used up 30% or Php 9,943,046.65 of its total funding as payment for laborers working on its sub-project.

The Municipality of Panglao has been consistent in keeping its place at the top. In 2018 it also won 3 awards during the program yearly LGU Assessment and Awarding. It bagged the Best in Geo-Database Management, Database Management and Grievance Management awards.

The Gawad Paglilingkod Sambayanan or Gapas award is a sub-category of the Panata Ko sa Bayan Awards, this is given to the partners for their invaluable support to the department and to the program. This award is presented to the stakeholders and employees who have contributed to the empowering of communities and individuals in every DSWD Anniversary since 2010. ###

The Community folks of Purok 1 Barangay San Jose, Siaton, Negros Oriental accepted the newly finished footbridge which connects communities from mainland to an islet where most of the fisherfolks of Barangay San Jose live.

The footbridge built by the community volunteers in Brgy. San Jose, Siaton, Negros Oriental connects communities from mainland to an islet where most fisherfolks reside.

The dream of giving their children and the community a safe passage has finally come true, as community folks witness the blessing and turn-over of the footbridge, a sub-project of DSWD Kalahi-CIDSS. The community volunteers could not contain their smiles as they pose for posterity on their biggest achievement in the community, the 38 meters footbridge in Purok 1 San Jose, Siaton, Negros Oriental.

The Kalahi CIDSS grant costs up to Php 3,441.850.00 and the Municipal Local Government Unit of Siaton and Barangay San Jose also shelled out Php 129,150.00 as their local cash counterpart (LCC) for the sub-project to be implemented.

The footbridge is the manifestation of hardwork, dedication and passion of the community volunteers who have made this dream a reality. The community witnessed how the project change their lives, and how it helps the community to be united and participative. ###

“Ang problema adunay utlanan ug kasulbaran kini ang gidala sa DSWD Kalahi-CIDSS sama sa usa kaadlaw nga naghatag ug paglaum ug kahayag sa katawhan taliwala sa mga problema sa komunidad (Every problem has a solution. This is what the DSWD Kalahi-CIDSS brought to our country. It is like the sun that brings light and hope to the community people amid the problems they encountered),” said Lucil Denampo, Barangay Sub-Project Management Committee (BSPMC) Chairperson of Barangay Jumangpas, Municipality of Samboan. She shared her views of the program during the Regional Community Volunteers Congress of the Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (Kalahi-CIDSS) held at Golden Prince Hotel.

Lucil Denampo, Barangay Sub-Project Management Committee (BSPMC) Chairperson, of Barangay Umampas, Municipality of Samboan attends the Regional Community Volunteers Congress of the Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (Kalahi-CIDSS).

The CV Congress is an event where all the community volunteers of the entire region get the chance to meet and also share their views and experiences as volunteers of DSWD Kalahi-CIDSS. Its main objective is to measure the degree or level in terms of empowerment and also to showcase their gains from the program.

Lucil added that if she did not become a community volunteer of DSWD Kalahi-CIDSS, she would have not experienced attending this kind of event where they will meet their fellow CVs from other municipalities.

According to her, she also gained a lot of confidence through the Kalahi-CIDSS trainings she attended. As a housewife she was not exposed to speaking in public and sharing her views to different people. In the sub-project implementation, she never thought she will be able to handle different personalities and attitudes. She thanked the program for letting her discover her potentials.

The Kalahi-CIDSS is one of the main core programs of DSWD. Its main objective is to give ordinary citizens the power to stand up, to voice out their opinions and to actively participates in the decision making of the development of their potentials in serving public through volunteerism.

Since the program started in 2014 there have been a lot of community volunteers who already engaged in the political affairs of the communities. Some of them have been elected as barangay officials because the people have seen their community involvement and their potential to be a good public servant. ###

The Department of Social Welfare and Development Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (DSWD Kalahi-CIDSS) in Central Visayas region recently turned over Php 9.02 million worth of sub-projects for the 5 barangays in Tabogon, Cebu.

Community volunteers line up for the ribbon cutting.

These sub-projects include the 200 Solar Lamp Posts in Barangays Labangon, Somosa, Manlagtang and Camoboan; 450-meter concrete access road in Barangay San Isidro.

The program’s main objective is to empower ordinary people in the community to improve local governance and to slowly alleviate the community from poverty. The community volunteers and the community residents identified their needs, decided what project to undertake to answer their needs and manage the funds given to them. They also carried out the implementation of the sub-projects.

Blessing of the 450-meter concrete access road of Barangay San Isidro, Tabogon, Cebu.

For the communities, the sub-projects are the memorabilia of the program that has helped them learn the importance of working together. It serve as concrete proofs of empowered communities. ###

Ang tubig maoy labing unang panginahanglanon sa tawo. Ang mga community volunteers sa DSWD Kalahi-CIDSS sa Barangay Tagmanocan sa Lungsod sa Lazi, nakita nga mao kini ang numero unong panginahanglanon sa ilang barangay.

Malipayong misawd sa tubig ang usa ka residente human sa inugrasyon, inubanan ni Mayor James Monte, Vice Mayor Earl Aljas, MPDC Joannes Paulus V. Jumadla ug DSWD Kalahi-CIDSS Technical Facilitator Patrick Marchan.

Mao nga ilang gipanghingusgan nga makuha nila ang simpatiya sa uban barangay nga mahatagan sila sa pundo atol sa Municipal Inter-Barangay Forum, usa sa proseso sa DSWD Kalahi-CIDSS diin gihatagan ug higayon ang mga ordinaryong tawo nga mo desisyon sa pag hatag og gibug-aton kung unsa nga mga sub-projects ang angayan nga mapunduhan aron ma implementar ang gi-tanyag nga proyekto sa matag barangay.

Ang water system mikabat sa Php 779,994.00 nga gipangunayan ug trabaho sa mga community volunteers sa maong barangay.

Moabot sa 194 ka mga balay ang direktang maka benepisyo sa bag-ong human nga water system.

Lisod ug layo kaayu ang kuha-anan sa ilang tubig, matud pa ni Elpidia Villaruz, 82 anyos, nga nihit gyud ang tubig kay layo kaayu ug gamay ra ang ilang madala kada sag-ob “Sauna gamay ra gyud ang among madala kay lisod ang dan nga agian paingon sa tinubdan mao magka usik-usik gyud inig bitbit”, dugang ni Manang Elpidia.

Atol sa inagurasyon sa Level 2 Solar Powered Water System, malipayon ug gihinangop kini sa mga residente nga tungod sa ilang pagkugi naa na gyud sa ilang tugkaran ang tubig og dili na sila mag nihit pa sa gamit niini. ###