Malate, Manila—The 2nd National Community Volunteers’ Congress and 4th National Bayani Ka Awards was successfully conducted last October 2-4, 2018 in Cebu City. It was attended by at least 260 community volunteers of DSWD Kalahi-CIDSS and Local Government Unit (LGU) officials from across the country. The event’s theme is “Pagsaulog” a Visayan word which means festivity or celebration. This occasion celebrated the the noteworthy contribution of the Community Volunteers towards the success of the Kalahi-CIDSS program. More so, the occasion hailed the exemplary Kalahi-CIDSS Operation and Maintenance (O&M) groups that were awarded as “Bayani” during each region’s Regional Bayani Ka! Awards. These groups were awarded the prestigious Bayani Ka Award because of their remarkable ways of mobilizing their communities towards a collective community action.

The participants were welcomed by DSWD Field Office 7 Assistant Regional Director for Operations (ARDO) Shalaine Lucero. ARDO Lucero mentioned in her speech the importance of the Community Volunteers in Kalahi-CIDSS. “Walang Kalahi-CIDSS kung wala ang mga masisipag na community volunteers” [There is no Kalahi-CIDSS without the industrious Community Volunteers]. ARDO Shalaine’s speech was followed by the presentation of the current state of the Kalahi-CIDSS program by the National Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist Miss Abegail dela Cruz. This presentation was proceeded with the Communication Specialist Miss Maria Rosario Lagman’s presentation of the current status of Volunteerism in the Philippines. To conclude the first day of the activity, the participants were pampered with free massage and free nail care services courtesy of DSWD Field Office 7.

On the second day, the delegates were divided into three groups to visit the municipalities of Moalboal, Pinamungajan, and Dalaguete in Cebu. The field visit was conducted to serve as an avenue of exchange of knowledge between the community volunteers from the three visited Kalahi-CIDSS municipalities and the delegates of the National Community Volunteers’ Congress.

While the volunteers were on immersion, the LGU officials had an executive meeting with the Municipal Inter-Agency Committee of their visited municipalities. They shared their ideas and strategies on how Community-Driven Development (CDD) could be institutionalized in their respective municipalities.

The volunteers had sessions where they shared their knowledge on their project implementation techniques. They also had discussions about the opportunities given to them because of their involvement with the Kalahi-CIDSS program. Before returning to Cebu City to complete their field visit, the participants went to different sub-project sites in their visited municipalities.

On the last day of the activity, the participants had an open forum on their field immersion with the Community Volunteers from Cebu. The participants shared their learning and their insights. They also committed to share these learning and insights to their co-volunteers once they return to their communities.

In the evening of the last day of Pagsaulog2018, the notable volunteer groups were hailed and honored on the 4th National Bayani Ka! Awards. Almost 106 volunteer groups from nine award categories were honored. ###

The SAMAMAKAY Organization from Torrijos Marinduque accepts their development incentive prize as one of the winners under the Gender and Development category during the 4th National Bayani Ka! Awards

The Sitio Calusa Community Water Tank Sanitation Association from Cagayancillo, Palawan (as represented by their mayor Hon. Lourde Lanoy) receives their award as one of the winners under the Indegenous People’s Welfare category during the 4th National Bayani Ka! Awards

Local officials in Brooke’s Point (L) and Rizal (R) receive the list of the poor households stored and encrypted in Compact Disc from Listahanan Regional Coordinator Ernie Jarabejo.

PALAWAN- The municipalities of Rizal and Brooke’s Point received the list of poor households from Listahanan of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) MIMAROPA as part of the data sharing agreements.

These local government units have complied with all provisions in the DSWD data sharing guidelines, a mechanism to safeguard the information of poor households in compliance with the Data Privacy Act of 2012, an act that protects individual personal and personal sensitive information.

This data sharing aims to establish a systematic way of sharing data and information of poor households as a basis for selecting potential beneficiaries of various local social protection programs.

Listahanan is a government mechanism that identifies who and where the poor are nationwide.###

UCT beneficiaries from the towns of Boac and Mogpog line-up to claim grants in Provincial Convention Center.

BOAC, Marinduque- The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) MIMAROPA and Landbank of the Philippines have disbursed 9.5 million pesos to 3,369 Listahanan poor under the Unconditional Cash Transfer (UCT) program in this province.

UCT is the tax subsidy provided for under the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) law to help the poor cushion the adverse economic impact of the law for three years, starting 2018. For this year, beneficiaries will receive P200 per month or P2,400 for one year. In 2019 and 2020, the subsidy will increase to P300 or P3,600 a year.

Listahanan is a government mechanism that identifies who and where the poor are. This database is then used for the identification and selection of potential beneficiaries for various poverty alleviation and social protection programs.

“During the three-day clustered payout in this province, UCT served 814 households in Boac; 609 in Gasan; 413 in Mogpog; 451 in Buenavista; 429 in Torrijos; and 653 in Sta. Cruz,” said DSWD Regional Director Wilma D. Naviamos.

DSWD MIMAROPA has piloted the entire process of UCT implementation from the notification, registration and payout activities in six towns of Marinduque starting August 1 to 18, 2018.  From the 3,890 total target, 611 beneficiaries were not able to claim their cash grants due to various reasons such as transfer of residence, deceased household heads and inconsistencies in the legal documents of identified beneficiaries.

“We are grateful for the unwavering support of the six local government units together with the provincial government thru the Marinduque Governor Carmencita Reyes for the successful UCT pilot program implementation. Through this pilot activities, the department will be able to polish its existing guidelines and craft new policies, directions, and strategies based on the experiences and learnings in the province of Marinduque, Director Naviamos added.

DSWD will set a new schedule of payout for those beneficiaries who have not shown to ensure that cash grants will be disbursed within the prescribed timeline.

The UCT  full implementation process for Listahanan poor households will be conducted simultaneously in the remaining four  MIMAROPA provinces starting this month. ###

TORRIJOS, MARINDUQUE — The Sustainable Livelihood Program conducted a skills training on bag weaving last August 6-10, 2018. The Sibuyao Little Baguio SLP Association, one of the SLPAs in the municipality, together with some non-members, participated in the activity.

In collaboration with the Department of Trade and Industry – Negosyo Center, Local Government Unit of Torrijos, and Barangay LGU of Sibuyao, the objective of the training was to give additional knowledge and skills to the participants, and train them to improve the quality of their products.

The SLPA demand for baskets is perceived to be higher these days due to the strict enforcement of plastic ban ordinance in the municipality.

Contributor:

Fatima Concepcion, Project Development Officer II, Marinduque

Pasig City, Metro Manila- The Local Chief Executives of the town of Araceli, Cagayancillo, and Magsaysay, Palawan; Banton, Calatrava, and Looc, Romblon; Gloria, Oriental Mindoro; and Sablayan Occidental Mindoro attended the DSWD Kalahi CIDSS MIMAROPA’s Pre-Engagement Consultation Workshop with the Local Government Units on Thematic Community-Driven Developmet (CDD) Pilot Project Implementation last July 17-19, 2018 at the Linden Suites in Ortigas Center, Pasig City.

The Thematic CDD is a new pilot project of DSWD Kalahi CIDSS wherein the LGUs will select a concept based on their development plans in which they will incorporate the process of CDD to the chosen theme that they will implement.

Hon. Noel Beronio of Araceli, Palawan, Hon. Rommel Dela Torre of Magsaysay, Palawan, Hon. Joseph Fadri of Banton Romblon, Hon. Marieta Babera of Calatrava, Romblon; Hon. Leila Arboleda of Looc, Romblon; Hon. German ROdegerio of Gloria, Oriental Mindoro; and Hon. Eduardo Gadiano of Sablayan Occidental Mindoro attended the said activity together with their LGU delegations which consist of Sangguniang Bayan member for Appropriations, Association of Barangay Captain President, Municipal Planning and Development Coordinator, Municipal Social Welfare and Development Officer, and the Municipal Area Coordinator.

The three-day activity provided a comprehensive orientation on Thematic CDD and has also discussed and aswered the queries and concerns of the LGUs regarding its implementation of the Thematic CDD and the concepts selected by LGUs to implement in their municipalities.

Engr. Marvin Trillana discussed the Participatory WASH implementation of Cagayancillo

On the first day, Regional Community Development Specialist (RCDS) Ma. Claire Panganiban presented the Thematic CDD and its

implementation timeline. RCDS Panganiban presented the three main themes that the LGUs can gear their concepts to: Disaster Risk Reduction and Management, Sustainable Livelihood, and Sustainable Eco-Tourism. Afterwards, the LGUs, together with the Area Coordinators planned and discuss among themsel

ves the possible concepts that they will implement in their town.

On the morning of the second day, three resource speakers where invited to provide inputs on Sustainable Livelihood and Disaster Risk Reduction and Management. Mr. Louie Mencias, Training Director of Blue Water Consultancy

discussed and provided his expert inputs on community based eco-tourism and sustainable livelihood. More so, Miss Jing Ocampo from Compassion International and Mr. Marvin Trillana, Community Infrastructure Officer of Palawan Cluster, discussed and shared their expertise on Disaster Risk Reduction and Management.

Hon. Noel Beronio discusses to the plenary their Thematic CDD concept on DRRM geared on community resiliency

The LGUs sat with their team and with the DSWD Kalahi CIDSS consultants and with the invited resource speakers to polish their concept notes. On the morning of July 19, the LGUs presented the Thematic CDD concepts they have agreed to implement:

• DRRM geared towards community resiliency: Araceli and Magsaysay, Palwan and Banton Romblon
• DRRM geared on community solid waste management: Gloria, Oriental Mindoro and Sablayan
• Community-based Participatory WASH implementation: Cagayancillo, Palawan
• Sustainable Livelihood through Community-based Eco-tourism: Calatrava, Romblon

The concepts presented by the LGU were yet to be approved by the National Program Management Office of Kalahi CIDSS.

After the presentation of the concepts, the LGUs signed their commitment to a more inclusive and participatory local governance through the used of Kalahi CIDSS’ CDD strategy.

Community-Driven Development is a strategy used by DSWD Kalahi CIDSS to ensure that the development priorities of a community are addressed in an inclusive, participatory, collective, and demand driven way. This is done through localized decision-making during social preparation activities and in the identification, development, prioritization, establishment, and operationalization of community projects. This strategy aims to empower the community, reduce local poverty, and promote good local governance. It also encourages volunteerism and bayanihan by encouraging people to get involved and work hand-in-hand with their LGUs towards the development of their community.

Through time since its inception, DSWD Kalahi CIDSS MIMAROPA encourages local government units in the MIMAROPA region to adopt/institutionalize the CDD strategy in their governance strategy.

###

Pasig City, Metro Manila- Technical Working Group (TWG) who will serve as guide to the Local Government Units on the implementation of Thematic (Community-Driven Development) CDD pilot project are gathered last July 16-17, 2018 at the Linden Suites to discuss how Thematic CDD will be implemented and how the team can fully provide technical support to the LGUs in the implementation of this pilot project.

The Thematic CDD is a new pilot project of DSWD Kalahi CIDSS wherein the LGUs will select a concept based on their development plans in which they will incorporate the process of CDD to the chosen theme that they will implement.

Deputy Regional Program Manager for Kalahi CIDSS Maria Liza Peraren discuss with the TWG the Thematic CDD Concept

Area Coordinators, Municipal Financial Analyst, and Technical Facilitator comprised the TWG. On the two-day activity, the Regional Program Management Office of DSWD Kalahi CIDSS discussed with the TWG the Thematic CDD and their roles in its implementation and the DSWD promotive programs directives.

The TWG discussed the challenges they faced on their previous implementation of Kalahi CIDSS NCDDP and how they can improve/prevent these challenges in the LGUs’ implementation of Thematic CDD. Moreover, the TWG crafted their workplan on the Thematic CDD implementation.

###

Romblon provincial government officials received the copy of Listahanan database. (L-R) Evaluation Officer Cynthia Fetalino, Listahanan Coordinator Ernie Jarabejo, Governor Eduardo Firmalo, Executive Assistant Louie Firmalo, Provincial Social Welfare Officer Vilma Fos, and Listahanan Statistician Jennel Maquiñana.

ODIONGAN- Romblon Governor Eduardo Firmalo received the Listahanan list of identified poor households in this province from Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) MIMAROPA on Tuesday, July 10, 2018.

Romblon is the first recipient among the five provincial governments regionwide of the said Listahanan database.

Listahanan is a mechanism that identifies who and where the poor are. In Romblon, 20,777 poor households are identified as poor according to the 2015 household assessment.

The data sharing aims to establish a systematic way of sharing data and information of poor households as a basis for selecting potential beneficiaries of various local social protection programs.

 “Now that we have the database from the National Household Targeting System for Poverty Reduction now Listahanan, we have the baseline data that can be used in our programs intended for the poor,” said Governor Firmalo.

The provincial government of Romblon has won the DSWD Gawad Listahanan in 2014 and 2015, an award that is given to local government units recognizing their efforts in the implementation of local social protection programs using Listahanan list of poor.

Listahanan result was used as a reference for the HEART program which focuses on Health, Education, Agriculture, Revenues, Resource Generation, Tourism and Transparency to combat the effects of poverty in the province of Romblon.

“Because of this [Listahanan] data, we are guided for our targets since 2011, and that’s a big accomplishment of the provincial government,” added Firmalo.

The governor also is hopeful for the positive results as the new list is of poor in the province is revealed so that proper interventions will be implemented to uplift their well-being.

Provincial Government of Romblon complied all provisions in the DSWD data sharing guidelines, a mechanism to safeguard the information of poor households. This in compliance with the Data Privacy Act that protects individual personal and personal sensitive information.###