In order to enhance the implementation of community-driven development in the Philippines, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) held a focus group discussion (FGD) with selected mayors currently implementing the Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan ‐ Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (Kalahi‐CIDSS) program on March 29, 2023.

Kalahi-CIDSS is one of the flagship community development programs of the DSWD which empowers community members, in poor and marginalized localities, to be active partners in development. Through the program, community members actively participate to identify and prioritize their community’s problems and allow them to design, implement, and manage solutions to their priority problems.

The FGD was initiated by DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian to gather feedback from the selected local chief executives (LCEs) in order to make the Kalahi-CIDSS program more adaptive with the changing times and more responsive to the needs of poor communities.

“The mode has changed dramatically, especially because of COVID-19, especially with climate change. The policy now is to revisit Kalahi-CIDSS and look at what works and what doesn’t work, and how we can correct it,” explained Secretary Gatchalian.

Secretary Gatchalian noted that it was necessary to conduct such consultations with LCEs since they are the end-users of the program and will be responsible in sustaining the sub-projects. He also recognized that the issues and concerns that will be raised during the FGD will become opportunities for improving the Kalahi-CIDSS guidelines.

“We promise that whatever you give us this afternoon, we will take it to heart, we will bring it home to the Department, we will sit down with the World Bank, and we’ll try to fix things to make it better for you,” assured the Secretary.

The participating LCEs were selected based on their homogeneity in terms of geographical context, implementation and encountered concerns.

The activity commenced with a discussion of the infrastructure and non-infrastructure accomplishments of Kalahi-CIDSS across the country, including improvements in the delivery of basic necessities, enhanced positive well-being of household beneficiaries, promotion of inclusivity for vulnerable groups such as women and indigenous peoples, and increased participation of community members in barangay assemblies, among others.

One of the speakers tapped to share their Kalahi-CIDSS experience was former Barcelona, Sorsogon mayor and incumbent Representative of the 2nd district of Sorsogon Cong. Wowo Fortes. During his discussion, Cong. Fortes narrated how Kalahi-CIDSS was able to empower the locals of Barcelona through community volunteerism, planning, budgeting, and monitoring of sub-projects, among others. Currently, he filed a bill in 19th Congress for the institutionalization of the Community-Driven Development approach.

During the FGD proper, the local chief executives were able to discuss various issues and suggestions to improve the implementation of Kalahi-CIDSS in terms of financing, monitoring, planning, and community governance.

Under the directive of Secretary Gatchalian, the Department will continue to conduct meetings and consultations with heads of localities to ensure that its programs and services will become more inclusive and responsive to the needs of the Filipino people. ###