Torrijos, Marinduque – As early as 7:30 in the morning, community residents of various barangays have started assembling in the gymnasium, preparing their selves for what to be the most exciting part of the Kalahi-CIDSS cycle, the prioritization of sub-projects.

The municipality of Torrijos, which implemented Kalahi-CIDSS last 2011, is now at the last cycle of implementation. Hence, barangays are at their best to convince the other barangays to vote for their prioritized sub-project. The Municipal Inter-Barangay Forum (MIBF) was facilitated by the Municipal Coordinating Team of Torrijos.

As a background, the MIBF is a strategy for community empowerment through localized decision-making. It is a venue for the Barangay Representation Teams (BRTs), who are volunteers of Kalahi-CIDSS, to present their sub-project proposals and choose which among the community projects will be prioritized. The forum participants will choose what they think is the most viable and feasible based on the criteria set by the Kalahi-CIDSS Volunteers themselves.

For this particular cycle, the 23 barangays of Torrijos agreed to give the two barangays namely, Dampulan and Buangan, the first and second slots for funding, as they did not get to be included in the prioritization in the previous cycles. As such, all 25 barangays of Torrijos each has a sub-project from Kalahi-CIDSS. The two barangays were just as grateful for the support given by their fellow locals as their proposed sub-project will now come to life.

Nonetheless, the barangays still presented the project proposals in their best creative ways. Most barangays reenacted their situation to present what they need and how the sub-project will help them. Similarly, the BRTs will still vote for the sub-projects they deemed should be prioritized by use of flash cards with corresponding numbers. After which, all votes are written on the tally board for transparency.

A total of 11 barangays will be funded for the last cycle. These are: Dampulan, Buangan, Pakaskasan, Poctoy, Kayduke, Bonliw, Bayakbakin, Malinao, Malibago, Cagpo, and Bangwayin. Sub-projects that were prioritized were school buildings, water system, health station, and daycare center. A total of Php11,250,000.00 of MCC grant was given for the implementation of projects. ###