In the province of Isabela, the Department of Social Welfare and Development Field Office II (DSWD FO2) through the Kapit-bisig Laban sa Kahirapan Comprehensive Integrated Delivery of Social Services - National Community Driven Development Program Additional financing (KALAHI-CIDSS NCDDP AF) will grant a total of ₱29,032,199.90 for the implementation of identified sub-projects in the municipalities of Sta. Maria and Sto. Tomas. On their part, the Municipal Local Government Units (MLGUs) of both municipalities approved the grant of their Local Counterpart Contribution (LCC) amounting to 3,807,300.01 pesos and ₱3,459, 936.43, respectively.

DSWD FO2 Regional Director Cezario Joel Espejo said,“the LCC is required from the Local Government Units to promote resource sharing and to develop a sense of ownership and accountability among the community volunteers who will serve as the key players in the implementation of the sub-projects.”

“It will awaken the sense of responsibility among the beneficiaries to treat the sub-projects with utmost care knowing that they did not only exerted effort in building the sub-projects but also contributed part of their Local Government Funds,” Espejo added.

Access roads, construction of solar dryer, communal dugwell, drainage canal and retrofitting of day care centers are some of the identified sub-projects of the community volunteers.

It can be recalled that the KALAHI-CIDSS NCDDP AF social preparation phase commenced in the province of Isabela in June of this year. Municipalities of Sta. Maria and Sto Tomas, comprising of 47 barangays, completed orientations which included the selection of Barangay Development Committee – Technical Working Group and identification of Sub-Projects through Rapid Damage Assessment Needs Analysis.

Meanwhile, in Calayan, Cagayan, the MLGU, through Mayor Joseph M. Llopis, approved the ₱2, 766, 450.71 LCC for the implementation of 12 identified sub-projects in the municipality. The KALAHI-CIDSS, in its part, will grant a ₱8, 351,000 for the said projects.

“We would like to thank the DSWD, which is very timely at this time of pandemic when the LGUs could not cater to all the needs of the people especially the far-flung barangays. The KALAHI-CIDSS Project is very vital at this point as well as the other social development activities of DSWD. We are ready to have a counterpart for any noble plan in the future to continue with the KALAHI-CIDSS program. We thank you and pray for the success of this program,” said Mayor Llopis in expressing his gratitude to the program.

With the approval of the LCC, requests for fund release of the allocated KALAHI CIDSS NCDDP - AF grant to the three (3) municipalities will follow.

KALAHI-CIDSS is one of the poverty alleviation programs of the Philippine government being implemented by the DSWD. It uses the community-driven development approach, a globally recognized strategy for achieving service delivery, poverty reduction, and good governance outcomes.