As part of its efforts to promote the institutionalization of community-driven development, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is set to turn over more than 600 community-based projects to various communities nationwide under the Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services – National Community Driven Development Program (KALAHI-CIDSS) within the second quarter of this year.

KALAHI-CIDSS is one of the poverty alleviation projects of the DSWD that aims to empower communities in targeted poor and disaster-affected municipalities, to achieve improved access to services and to participate in more inclusive local planning, budgeting implementation, and disaster risk reduction and management.

Of these 662 community-based projects, 10 are to be turned over in the provinces of Region I; 212 in Region II; 3 in MIMAROPA; 16 in CALABARZON; 147 in Region V; 46 in Region VII; 20 in Region VIII; 141 in Region IX; 23 in Region X; and 44 sub-projects in Region XII.

Some of the sub-projects include access roads, improved water systems, refurbished multi-purpose buildings, drainage canals, medical supplies, tools, equipment, PPEs, and facilities for COVID-19 Response, barangay health station, and Child Development Centers among others.

From 2016 to February 2022, KALAHI-CIDSS has already completed 28,194 sub-projects benefiting 8,384,693 households around the country.

KALAHI-CIDSS uses a community-driven development approach as a national strategy for community participation in development work. It empowers communities for improved access to basic services and higher participation in more inclusive local governance. ###