11 Negros Oriental town mayors, DSWD-7 sign MOA for P103M anti-poverty program

DUMAGUETE CITY, Philippines — A memorandum of agreement for the implementation of the government’s anti-poverty program was recently signed between the DSWD-Central Visayas and 11 town mayors of Negros Oriental.

The mayors received their respective notice to proceed certificate for the implementation of the KALAHI-CIDSS (Kapit Bisig laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services) program that has a budget of over P103 million.

Covered by the program are the towns, with a poverty incidence of at least 33 percent: Ayungon, Bindoy, Mabinay, Jimalalud, Manjuyod, Vallehermoso, Basay, Pamplona, Dauin, Sta. Catalina, and Zamboanguita.

KALAHI-CIDSS is one of DSWD’s major anti-poverty programs to empower local folks in identifying priority needs of their communities, develop strategies and participate in the implementation through the DSWD and the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), a foreign aid agency by the United States Congress to fight poverty worldwide.

In Central Visayas alone, KALAHI-CIDSS, in its first implementation from 2003 to 2010, has covered 349 barangays of 14 towns in Bohol and Siquijor provinces. It has served about 80,000 households through its 454 sub- projects amounting to P350 million.

The infrastructure projects usually considered in the program were farm-to-market roads, school buildings, potable water works system, electrification, day care centers and solar dryers, among others.

DSWD-7 director, Ma. Evelyn Macapobre said the successful outcome of the program in Bohol and Siquijor served as good example for the 11 towns in Negros Oriental. She encouraged the public to be vigilant and make sure the anti-poverty programs are not used for political purposes. —(FREEMAN)