Malate, Manila –Twenty-five municipalities across MiMaRoPa gathered for the Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services – National Community-Driven Development Program (KC-NCDDP) Mayor’s Forum last October 8 and 9. Following the KC-NCDDP launch in MiMaRoPa last May 2014, this activity served as a venue for the DSWD IV-MiMaRoPa and its Local Government Units (LGUs) to review and embrace their commitments to the program and sign their Memorandum of Agreement.

The Provincial Local Government Units (PLGU) signed to incorporate the KC-NCDDP’s participatory process or Community Driven Development (CDD) approach in the local development planning. Using this strategy, it will empower ordinary citizens to actively and directly participate in local governance by identifying their own community needs, planning, implementing, and monitoring projects to address local poverty issues collectively. Municipal Local Government Units (MLGUs) approved to pass relevant ordinances to support CDD.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) IV-MiMaRoPa and the LGUs agreed to provide technical assistance and capability buildings to Municipal LGU staff and Community Volunteers. Moreover, they will monitor the performance and compliance of municipalities and participating barangays and provide grants and Local Counterpart Contributions (LCC) on the program implementation and accomplishment of community sub-projects.

DSWD IV-MiMaRoPa Regional Director Wilma D. Naviamos highlighted in her message that the department engages with different national government agencies to achieve a faster implementation of the program. She said that the partnership will focus on doing things better, smarter, and faster despite the geographical challenges in MiMaRoPa. She further added that the department employs convergence as a strategy to create a concerted effort among partner stakeholders to produce a greater impact.

­“We want to build new institutional arrangements so that all [stakeholders] become responsive to programs and services in order to have societal equity,” said Naviamos.

Romblon Governor Eduardo C. Firmalo, in his message, said that the five provinces will now unite and work as one province of MiMaRoPa. The LCEs were also challenged to make this program as their personal advocacy.

In addition to the support given, some of the Mayors conveyed their provision of office spaces for the Municipal Coordinating Teams (MCT) during the Mayors’ Forum. MCT is the unit formed by the MLGU to provide operations support to the Area Coordinating Teams (ACTs). They will lead in planning and conduct of sustainability activities after project phase-out.

Prior to this activity, the ACTs to be deployed in the 25 municipalities underwent training. The training enabled the ACTs to understand their functions and deliverables as individuals and teams. It also allowed the ACTs to grasp the program and its implementation procedures. ACTs are specialists who will facilitate the implementation of the program in the municipalities. During the Mayors’ forum, they were formally introduced to the Local Chief Executives (LCEs) of their assignments. They also presented their plans for October to December 2014.

KC-NCDDP is a poverty alleviation program aligned to the community-driven post-disaster response of the National Government implemented by the DSWD. DSWD IV-MiMaRoPa caters 62 municipalities as its beneficiaries for KC-NCDDP implementation.