PGMA boosts fight vs poverty, orders KALAHI-CIDSS expansion

Iloilo City (8 October) — President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has ordered the expansion of KALAHI-CIDSS areas in the country to strengthen the government’s fight against poverty.

KALAHI-CIDSS stands for Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services, which is one of the flagship poverty alleviation projects of the government. It is spearheaded by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

The project employs a community-driven development approach and people participation to reduce poverty, improve local governance, and empower people.

President Arroyo said the government will add 16 more municipalities this year to the existing 184 areas (in 42 provinces) covered by KALAHI-CIDSS.

In Western Visayas, the project now covers 12 municipalities in Iloilo and 4 each in Capiz and Negros Occidental.

DSWD Regional Director Teresita S. Rosales revealed that the region has the most number of sub-projects implemented among the regions of the country with 712 for KALAHI-CIDSS and 169 for Makamasang Tugon.

Makamasang Tugon is a pilot test of the local governments’ readiness to harmonize the KALAHI-CIDSS approach into the local planning process.

Rosales said DSWD has poured in P721.3 million to these projects that include 283 roads, 118 health stations, 107 school buildings, 101 common service facilities, 94 day care centers, and 84 water systems.

The World Bank (WB), which is providing funding support to the project, said at a review of KALAHI-CIDSS that “overall project implementation progress is satisfactory” and KALAHI-CIDSS “continues to make progress in achieving its overall development objectives…”

DSWD Secretary Esperanza Cabral welcomed the positive reports from the KALAHI-CIDSS’s Seventh Implementation Review and was assured of Project expansion support during a management meeting with the World Bank.

Discussions of proposals for additional financing of $104 million from the World Bank and $140 million from the Millennium Challenge Corporation are ongoing. (PIA 6-JSC/DSWD)