Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) MIMAROPA honored and named the 2024 Regional Bayani Ka! Awardees and partner Local Government Units during the Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan – Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (KALAHI-CIDSS) Bayani Ka! Awards and Stakeholder Program Review and Evaluation Workshop, held simultaneously at the Selah Garden and Podz Hotel, Pasay City on August 28-30, 2024.

The Bayani Ka! Awards is an annual event and the highest recognition given by DSWD KALAHI-CIDSS to exemplary community volunteers, groups, and partners in implementing Community-Driven Development (CDD). 

It is also a knowledge management initiative that recognizes the innovation and good practices of outstanding partners. 

As the KALAHI-CIDSS Additional Financing comes to a close, KALAHI-CIDSS MIMAROPA is intensifying its efforts to provide a venue for peer-to-peer learning and exchange and to utilize the gathered information to help enrich the practice of CDD in the region.

The BAYANI KA! CDD Talk, one of the segments of the activity, echoed the resounding success stories of the awardees—their challenges, dedication, and commitment to the program—proving to the panel of media practitioners that they are indeed Bayani Ka! Awardees, the CDD Champions of MIMAROPA.

The Bayani Ka! Awards night confers the eight-award category to the following;

• Mr. Chan B. Alsad, Balabac, Palawan for Disaster Risk Reduction Management and Environmental Protection
• Maricel Gallardo, Gasan,  Marinduque for Gender and Development
• Wenefreda de Jesus, Abra de Ilog, Occidental Mindoro for Volunteerism
• Technotropheo Missions Inc., Abra de Ilog, Occidental Mindoro for IP Welfare
• M. Adriatico Water System Association – Gloria, Oriental, Mindoro for O&M Group
• Gemmalie Estores – Taytay, Palawan for Exceptional PWD Volunteer
• Purita Labay – Torrijos, Marinduque for Exceptional Senior Citizen Volunteer
• Municipality Gloria, Oriental Mindoro – Improved Local Governance     

At the same time, KALAHI-CIDSS MIMAROPA gathered Local Chief Executives (LCEs) and Municipal Planning and Development Coordinators (MPDC) for workshops and discussions on integrating the Community-Driven Development (CDD) approach into local development planning, sustainability frameworks, and its guiding principles. 

The discussions also included the creation and strengthening of Operations and Maintenance Groups, as well as the assessment, evaluation, and commitment to the status of Barangay Development Plans (BDPs) submission. 

One of the key outputs of the activity was the LGUs’ commitment to completing the BDPs.

DSWD MIMAROPA Regional Director Leonardo C. Reynoso, CESO III provided the DSWD program updates before the LCE’s and MPDC’s and responded to the questions raised. 

Further, OIC Deputy Regional Program Manager, Engr. Raymond Libarra provided updates on the KALAHI-CIDSS successors project, Panahon ng Pagkilos – Ph Locally Led Climate Action Project.

Finally, to recognize the unwavering commitment and cooperation to the program, the following awards were given to the following LGUs;

• Advance Delivery of Local Counterpart Contribution 
  • • Looc, Romblon
    • Sablayan, Occidental Mindoro
    • Banton, Romblon
• Best Subproject Implementation Award
  • • Looc, Occidental Mindoro
    • Looc, Romblon
    • Bongabong, Oriental Mindoro
    • Dumaran, Palawan

• Best Managed Clustered Subproject

• • • Bulalacao, Oriental Mindoro

• Bronze CDD Seal

• • • Cajidiocan, Romblon
    • Corcuera, Romblon
    • Ferrol, Romblon
    • San Jose, Romblon
    • Sta Maria, Romblon
    • Gasan, Marinduque
    • Torrijos, Marinduque
    • Bulalacao, Oriental Mindoro
    • San Jose, Occidental Mindoro
    • Mansalay, Oriental Mindoro
    • Sta. Cruz, Occidental Mindoro

• Silver CDD Seal

• • • Looc, Occidental Mindoro
    • Aborlan, Palawan
    • Rizal, Occidental Mindoro
    • Calatrava, Romblon
    • Bansud, Oriental Mindoro
    • San Fernando, Romblon
    • Victoria, Oriental Mindoro 

• Gold CDD Seal

• • • Banton Romblon
    • Gloria, Oriental Mindoro
    • Bongabong, Oriental Mindoro

• Blue Diamond CDD Seal

• • • Sablayan, Occidental Mindoro
    • Looc, Romblon

• Seal of CDD Champion

• • • Mayor Walter B. Marquez, Sablayan, Occidental Mindoro
    • Mayor Elegio A. Malaluan, Bongabong, Oriental Mindoro
    • Mayor German D,. Rodegerio, Gloria Oriental Mindoro
    • Gov. Eduardo B. Gadiano, Province of Occidental Mindoro

KALAHI-CIDSS is deeply grateful to all partner-stakeholders for their unwavering support and belief in the program’s core principles of participation, transparency, and accountability through the Community-Driven Development (CDD) approach. #