The local government units (LGUs) of the municipalities of Catanauan and Macalelon in Quezon Province are granted incentives by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) after their good performance in the implementation of the Kapit Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (Kalahi-CIDSS) program.

After assessing the two LGUs in their Kalahi-CIDSS implementation for the past three years, the DSWD has provided an incentive grant to these LGUs to implement the program using the Makamasang Tugon modality.

The DSWD has provided PhP10.57 Million grant to Macalelon and PhP19.75 Million to Catanauan for the implementation of different community projects in their respective barangays.

In this modality, the overall implementation of the program is run by the LGU following the community-driven strategy of the Kalahi-CIDSS program. The DSWD, on the other hand, provides the grant for the construction of various community projects and technical assistance to the LGUs.

“We aim to build the capacities of our partner LGUs so they can effectively build ties to their constituents and know the proper programs and projects that can respond to their needs. If they have fully absorbed these principles, we now give them the lead to implement and we are just here to monitor and guide them,” said Tess Bugarin, the Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist of Kalahi-CIDSS in the CALABARZON region.

Some of the parameters used in the assessment of the two municipalities include the presence of ordinances or resolutions supporting participatory social development; enhancement of their municipal development council wherein people sectors are well-represented; regular public announcements of LGU plans, programs, and budget utilization for transparency; and creation of need-responsive projects and programs with consultation to their constituents.

Mayor Ramon Orfanel of the municipality of Catanauan encouraged the LGU staff to further study the Kalahi-CIDSS community-driven implementation so they can continuously make ways in improving the living condition of their constituents.

“Tumalima tayong lahat at suportahan ang isa’t isa sa bagong hamon na ito. Magtulungan tayo para tuloy-tuloy ang kaunlaran sa bayan ng Catanauan,” said Mayor Orfanel in his message to the LGU staff.

For the past 12 years of Kalahi-CIDSS implementation in the CALABARZON region, 10 other municipalities in Quezon Province are provided with this performance-based incentive grant and have implemented the Makamasang Tugon modality. This includes the towns of Patnanungan, Panukulan, Burdeos, Jomalig, Buenavista, San Francisco, San Narciso, and Mulanay.# with reports from KMHalayan