The KALAHI-CIDSS KKB Project:
Alleviating poverty through community empowerment
Representatives from different
barangays were listening intently to a
presentation during the 1st Municipal
(cycle 3) Inter-Barangay Forum Ranking
of Sub-projects at the Ajuy Gymnasium
last July 13, 2006.
Poverty is a common problem among third-world countries which include the Philippines. The government has been making ways to counter poverty and other poverty-related problems. The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) with the assistance from World Bank has designed a project that aims to empower the communities and to improve local governance through local counterpart contribution (LCC). LCC is the community's and municipality's share in making a certain project possible. It could be in either monetary form or labor. This revolutionary approach to alleviate poverty was labeled as "Kapit Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services: Kapangyarihan at Kaunlaran sa Barangay or KALAHI-CIDSS: KKB Project".
The said project is being implemented in 11 regions all over the Philippines including 22 provinces and 67 municipalities. In the region, only 16 municipalities -- Concepcion, Ajuy, Barotac Viejo, Calinog, Carles, Janiuay, Lambunao, Lemery, Maasin, San Dionisio, and San Rafael in Iloilo; Jamindan, Dumarao, Maayon, and Tapaz in Capiz, and Cauayan in Negros Occidental -- were identified as KALAHI-CIDSS areas.
The KALAHI-CIDSS Health Station in
Barangay Del Pilar, Barotac Viejo.
Although considered as a community-support service, the KALAHI-CIDSS gives utmost emphasis on community-involvement as practiced in the implementation of their projects. At present, there are 379 operational sub-projects, most of which are infrastructures, in Western Visayas. Of which, 102 farm-to-market roads were constructed, 76 Health Stations were built, 49 Level II Water System were established, 40 Day Care Centers and 26 school buildings have benefited the young population. Also included in the list were 27 Pre-harvest Facilities, eight hanging bridges, four electrification in the three barangays of Lemery and one in Calinog, four pumpboats, three artificial coral reefs, three multi-purpose Emergency Vehicles, two Sea Walls and two Bagsakan Centers.
"Barotac Viejo is one of the recipients of the KALAHI. Before, the town lacks development. KALAHI helps in terms of poverty reduction in this town" claims Barotac Viejo OIC Mayor Juan Franco Sr. during a brief media visit at the municipality last July 13, 2006.
The KALAHI-CIDSS Science Laboratory
with facilities in Baranbay Gen. Luna,
Barotac Viejo.
Twenty-four out of 26 barangays of Barotac Viejo were recipients of the said project. During the first cycle of the 2nd Phase of the program, the 4th class municipality has 24 prioritized sub-projects. Barangay Gen. Luna and Barangay Del Pilar were both beneficiaries of the Level II Water System and Baby Cono, respectively. Likewise, on its 2nd cycle, Brgy. Gen Luna was able to build a Science Laboratory with a total project cost of PhP1,062,742.50. Of which, PhP783,395.00 was funded by the KALAHI-CDSS while the remaining PhP279,347.50 was the community's and municipality's local counterpart contribution (LCC). The above-mentioned amount is only a slice of the Php7.8 million municipal allocation for the three-year cycle implementation under KALAHI-CIDSS Phase II.
Barangay Del Pilar, on the other hand, received PhP719,217.41 KALAHI-CIDSS grant (under Phase II) that was added to the PhP124,804.42 LCC which they utilized to build a PhP844,019.03 Health Station.
The maternity bed inside the
Health Station.
The Municipality of Ajuy, a coastal and agricultural town, has been allocated with a PhP 10.2-million yearly fund for their three-year engagement with the KALAHI-CIDSS. Ajuy listed 19 sub-projects that were prioritized during the 1st cycle and 13 sub-projects on the 2nd cycle of KALAHI-CIDSS in its 23 barangays.
"In a way, people do not like dole-outs. By involving them in the implementation and the 16-step process of KALAHI-CIDSS, they are given the opportunity to identify what project their barangay needs most. They also develop a strong sense of ownership of the sub-project which would inspire them to ensure its sustainability," says DSWD Assistant Regional Director and KALAHI-CIDSS Regional Project Manager Joel P. Galicia.