Quezon City– Community Volunteers from all around the country participated in the DSWD Kalahi CIDSS’ 1st National Community Volunteers’ Congress and 3rd Bayani Ka Awards held last August 16-19, 2017 at Sequoia Hotel in Quezon City. The said event gathered 250 participants including community volunteers, Local Chief Executives and Kalahi CIDSS staff. The two-day event with the theme “Bukluran” celebrated the gains of the community volunteers as well as recognized the BayanI’s or the outstanding local stakeholders of the program.
“Mahalaga ang papel ng mga community volunteers sa ating programa at sa ating mga komunidad. Kung wala sila hindi magiging matagumpay ang programa” Said Alex Glova, the National Program Manager of Kalahi CIDSS.
The community volunteers have shared their knowledge and experiences in the implementation of the program through their participation in the different focus group discussions namely the CDD adoption, the pathways of the community after the Kalahi CIDSS program, the multiple challenges of the community volunteers, and the DSWD convergence.
In the CDD adoption group, the participants shared their hopes and plans in adopting CDD in their municipalities with the other community volunteers and LGU officials in the CDD adoption group. The LGU officials shared their experiences on how they slowly adopt CDD in their local governance strategies and the volunteers shared their elating experiences on how grateful they were when their LGUs had recognized their contribution in community building through their involvement in the Kalahi CIDSS.
On the second group, the pathways for the community after Kalahi CIDSS, the volunteers have identified the opportunities for them once the Kalahi CIDSS program has taken off from their community. More so, on the third group, the multiple challenges of the community volunteers were discussed, here the volunteers shared their multiple roles in their families as well as in their communities and how these challenges sometimes hinder their role as community volunteers in Kalahi CIDSS. The final group, the DSWD convergence group participants discussed how the convergence, the three core programs of DSWD namely—the Pantawid Pamilya Pilipino Program, The Sustainable Livelihood Program, and the Kalahi CIDSS Program help the communities of the volunteers towards achieving a better quality of life.
After the group discussions, the volunteers painted on a mural their reflections, understanding, and knowledge gained upon their participation on their respective focus group discussions. The next morning, each group had a representative who will discuss the message behind their mural painting. As one of the highlights of the
morning, the participants welcomed Manay Judy Taguiwalo, former DSWD Secretary. Ms. Taguiwalo gave an inspiring speech to the volunteers wherein she encouraged each and everyone to keep the spirit of volunteerism burning. She also acknowledged the gains and accomplishments of all the community volunteers around the country through their successful implementation of Kalahi CIDSS in their communities.
In the afternoon of the second day, the 3rd National BayanI Ka Awardees were recognized. The Community Volunteers, in their fancy attires recognized and applauded the awardees coming from the different regions all over the country. The Region XII volunteers celebrated as they bagged the most awards on the said event. The ceremony was ended through the official launching of the new DSWD Kalahi CIDSS Song “Ikaw at Ako” sang by the Parokya ni Edgar band.
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