The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the Provincial Government of Quezon formally launched recently the implementation of Kapit Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services-National Community Driven Development Program (KALAHI CIDSS-NCDDP) in the province through the signing of the Memorandum of Agreement for the five-year implementation of the program.

DSWD Field Office IV-A Director Leticia T. Diokno and Quezon Governor David “Jay-Jay” C. Suarez led the signing of the MOA, which details the roles and responsibilities of all stakeholders in the program implementation process for each of the 20 target municipalities in the province.  The local officials of 20 targeted KALAHI CIDSS-NCDDP municipalities, led by their respective local chief executives of his / her representative, were also present during the MOA signing, . The local chief executives are also signatories to the respective MOAs for their municipalities.

The KALAHI CIDSS-NCDDP is the expanded and upgraded implementation of the Kalahi-CIDSS program, which had been implemented in the Quezon province for the past 10 years. The KALAHI CIDSS-NCDDP also utilizes uses the Community Driven Development approach of empowering communities to participate / spearhead in the identification, planning, implementation and management of their need-responsive sub-projects, including projects that aims to response or mitigate the effects disasters.

In her message during the activity, Dir Diokno explained that the  KALAHI CIDSS-NCDDP is one of DSWD’s responses to poverty situation in the province by helping / engaging residents of  poor communities implement sub projects that help improve basic access to services.  Among these sub project are farm to market roads, school buildings, health stations, and water systems projects.

On the other hand, Governor Suarez said that the Provincial Government of Quezon is grateful to again receive the assistance from DSWD through KALAHI CIDSS-NCDDP.  He committed to provide the needed counterpart of the program both in cash and in kind.

During the ten years of implementation of the Kalahi-CIDSS in Quezon province, a total of 637 community sub-projects had been implemented with a total project cost of Php626 Million, including Php203 Million local counterpart.

For first cycle of KALAHI CIDSS-NCDDP implementation, a total of Php436.4 Million had been allocated for implementation of projects in 651 barangays of the targeted 20 municipalities of the province.

The said municipalities are Burdeos and  Mauban in the first district; Candelaria and San Antonio in the 2^nd district; Agdangan, Buenavista, Catanauan, Gen Luna, Macalelon, Plaridel, Unisan, San Andres and San Francisco in the 3^rd district; and Alabat, Calauag, Guinayangan, Gumaca Perez, Quezon and Tagkawayan in the 4^th district.***