Manila: The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) on Monday reported a 99.5 percent success rate in the sustainability of subprojects implemented nationwide through its Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (KALAHI-CIDSS) program.
According to Philippines News Agency, the agency highlighted that among the top contributors to the near-perfect rating are 7,281 road projects, 4,790 day care centers, 2,624 flood control projects, 3,521 foot and access pathways, and 226 school buildings. This report was based on the program's achievements announced by KALAHI-CIDSS Director and National Program Manager, lawyer Bernadette Mapue-Joaquin, during a live broadcast of "Serbisyong DSWD for Every Juan" over the weekend.
Mapue-Joaquin emphasized that the high sustainability rating reflects the program's effectiveness in allowing communities to identify, propose, and implement projects that meet their own needs. She noted that the program's success rate began in 2022 under the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and DSWD leadership of Secretary Rex Gatchalian. The assessment revealed that 99.5 percent of the projects received good and excellent ratings, while less than 1 percent, though with poor and fair ratings, are still operational.
The DSWD personnel conduct regular visits to communities to engage in dialogues and assess the challenges faced by the barangay residents, Mapue-Joaquin added. She explained the community empowerment activity cycle, wherein local staff known as community empowerment facilitators organize barangay assemblies to analyze community issues and propose solutions.
Mapue-Joaquin mentioned that communities often propose several projects, but due to limited resources, KALAHI-CIDSS prioritizes projects based on impact and necessity. The program also implements a "negative list" to prevent fund misuse, ensuring all projects benefit the entire community.
Based on KALAHI-CIDSS data, the ten municipalities with the largest decrease in poverty incidence from 2009 to 2021 include Bucloc (Abra), Kibungan (Benguet), Lacub (Abra), Kabayan (Benguet), Tinoc (Ifugao), Boliney (Abra), Sallapadan (Abra), Sarangani (Davao Occidental), Tagaloan II (Lanao del Sur), and Asipulo (Ifugao). All areas, except Tagaloan II, are beneficiaries of the KALAHI-CIDSS program, with eight municipalities having "graduated" from the program after reducing poverty incidence below 18.1 percent.
Mapue-Joaquin advocated for communities to sustain the KALAHI process using the 'community-driven development' approach, which encourages local government units to continue project implementation using their own funds once the program concludes.
In response to the increasing effects of climate change, the DSWD recently launched the Panahon ng Pagkilos: Philippine Community Resilience Project (PCRP). This initiative aims to promote climate-resilient, community-driven development in 500 municipalities across 49 provinces, focusing on areas with high poverty rates, environmental risks, and indigenous peoples' presence. Over 300 municipalities meet the criteria for support but remain unserved due to limited resources.
Mapue-Joaquin urged lawmakers to support the proposed Community-Driven Development (CDD) bill, which seeks to institutionalize the CDD approach in government programs. For over 20 years, the KALAHI-CIDSS program has completed 92,501 subprojects, benefiting more than 24 million individuals nationwide. The program continues to promote the CDD approach to tackle local challenges and uplift communities from poverty.
