Quezon city: The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), through its Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan - Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (KALAHI-CIDSS) program, entered into a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with the University of the Philippines College of Social Work and Community Development (UP-CSWCD) to strengthen collaboration in community-driven development and social work education.
According to Philippines News Agency, the partnership, signed at the Office of the Chancellor of the University of the Philippines-Diliman in Quezon City, aims to align academic learning with actual community development work by integrating KALAHI-CIDSS modalities as learning engagement platforms for UP-CSWCD students in the Field Instruction Program. Undersecretary for Operations Monina Josefina Romualdez represented the DSWD during the ceremonial MOA signing.
Under the agreement, social work and community development students will engage in community immersion, practicum, and selected research activities in identified KALAHI-CIDSS municipalities, providing them firsthand experience in grassroots development initiatives. The partnership will provide students with wider exposure to government-led community-based social development initiatives and deeper knowledge of the KALAHI-CIDSS program.
Romualdez emphasized the importance of the collaboration, stating that it creates a space where learning extends beyond the classroom and students engage directly with communities through field experiences. She noted that the programs benefit from academic insight, research, and fresh perspectives from the academe.
Student interns participating in field activities will receive cash-for-work from the DSWD's KALAHI-CIDSS program to support their educational expenses while contributing to program implementation. As the partnership moves forward with the Panahon ng Pagkilos: Philippine Community Resilience Project, the successor to the KALAHI-CIDSS, it will enhance community engagement, intervention design, and program implementation to ensure responsiveness, inclusivity, and sustainability.
A Technical Working Group will be established to oversee coordination between the DSWD and UP-CSWCD, including annual planning, development of guidelines, identification of field instruction areas, and continuous program review. This partnership aligns with the DSWD's efforts to strengthen participatory governance, community empowerment, and capacity-building initiatives, supporting President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s directive for inclusive, responsive, and sustainable development programs for Filipino communities.
