7 Iloilo towns to get more anti-poverty aid
Seven towns in Iloilo province will receive additional funding from the Kalahi-CIDSS Makamasang Tugon Program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development as incentives for being the best performing municipalities in project implementation.
The towns – San Rafael, Ajuy, Concepcion, San Dionisio, Bingawan, Maasin and Janiuay – will be the beneficiaries of the partnership between the provincial government, the DSWD, and their respective municipal governments as stated in a memorandum of agreement.
The MOA was signed by Gov. Arthur Defensor Sr., DSWD 6 Assistant Regional Director Joel Galicia, and the seven mayors in rites held at the Provincial Capitol Monday.
Kalahi-CIDSS which means Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services is the government’s flagship anti-poverty program.
Galicia said the seven municipalities are already recipients of the program and will be given additional funding as incentives for being the best performing municipalities in the Phases I and II project implementation.
He said the additional funding of P500,000 for each of the town’s barangays will be utilized for projects identified as priority, based on the barangay situational needs analysis and as approved in the barangay forum.
The Kalahi-CIDSS Makamasang Tugon has funding from the World Bank and the Philippine Government coursed through the DSWD. The local government units are required to provide a 30 percent counterpart in the form of cash or labor.
Galicia said after undergoing a series of assessments and upon passing the criteria, the barangays will receive the funding in the form of checks that will be deposited in their barangay bank account, to be monitored by the municipal government.
For his part, Defensor vowed continued support for the Kalahi-CIDSS Makamasang Tugon Program.
“I really believe in this program, we should continue to pursue this project for the sake of the poor and I want you to resolve and recommit yourselves to the nobility of this undertaking,” Defensor told the mayors.
The governor said the provincial government can provide the heavy equipment needed in the implementation of the projects.
“However, let us make the counterparting equitable,” he said.
The agreement signing was witnessed by Provincial Administrator Raul Banias and Provincial Social Welfare and Development Officer Neneth Pador. *
