Leyte: A recent visit by World Bank executives to Leyte province underscored the international institution's ongoing partnership with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to advance community-driven development (CDD) initiatives.
According to Philippines News Agency, the visit of the team led by World Bank Group Global Director for Social Policy Iffath Sharif to the municipality of MacArthur, Leyte reaffirmed the importance of strong partnerships with development institutions in promoting inclusive growth and community resilience. The DSWD-8 (Eastern Visayas) emphasized that insights gathered from the field monitoring activity are expected to contribute to the continued enhancement of programs and policies supporting vulnerable households and communities across the country.
Sharif led a World Bank delegation that visited the villages of San Pedro and Villa Imelda on June 9 to assess completed projects funded through the Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (Kalahi-CIDSS) program. Among the projects visited were a pathway project, a daycare center, and a barangay health center. MacArthur is among the local government units that have benefited from Kalahi-CIDSS, with 82 community subprojects implemented under the program.
Kalahi-CIDSS, implemented by the DSWD, aims to reduce poverty through a community-driven development approach and has received significant support from the World Bank in the form of loans and grants. Sharif described the communities in MacArthur as a strong example of how collective action can drive meaningful and lasting change. She remarked that it is not just about infrastructure such as roads, water systems, or schools, but about giving people a voice, hope, trust, and ownership, which will last beyond support from the World Bank.
As part of the visit, the World Bank team met with barangay officials and community health workers to assess the impact of the barangay health center established with support from Kalahi-CIDSS. Discussions focused on how the facility has strengthened the village's capacity to deliver essential healthcare services and improve residents' access to primary health care. Village health workers noted that the health center has improved the delivery of medical services and contributed to efforts to address child stunting and other community health concerns.
