The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has gained another badge of honor after the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) lauded Project LAWA and BINHI for its invaluable contribution to climate resilience initiatives.

“In a LinkedIn post by UN Assistant Secretary-General Reena Ghelani, she mentioned our LAWA and BINHI project, citing it as among the best practices in response to the prevalent issues related to climate crisis and El Niño,” DSWD spokesperson Irene Dumlao said in a statement on Tuesday.

DSWD’s Project LAWA and BINHI stands for Local Adaptation to Water Access and Breaking Insufficiency through Nutritious Harvest for the Impoverished.

Ghelani lauded the implementation of Project LAWA, saying it “developed as a sustainable solution to water scarcity caused by the El Niño drought.”

“LAWA, which means pond in Tagalog, was the first of its kind and built on the success of previous government-supported cash-for-work programs. The project provided temporary employment and empowered disadvantaged communities to build small farm reservoirs to ensure access to water for irrigation,” Ghelani’s LinkedIn post read.

The UN executive also praised Project BINHI in communities that capitalized on water irrigations to operate vegetable gardens and plant climate resilient crops.

Ghelani was likewise impressed by the Cash-for-Work mechanism of the program, citing it as a leverage to community involvement in addressing scarcity in nutrition and food security.

The DSWD assured that under the leadership of Secretary Rex Gatchalian, the agency will continue to implement LAWA and BINHI projects and equip vulnerable communities toward climate and disaster resilience.

“On behalf of the entire DSWD community, we appreciate your favorable remarks on our project. What makes this extra special for us is it is from someone who has traveled the world, one who has witnessed competitive climate change responsive mechanisms,” Dumlao said.

Project LAWA and BINHI is designed to maintain agricultural productivity during dry periods and to manage excess water during periods of heavy rainfall associated with La Niña.

The project is among the DSWD’s innovations that focuses on mitigating the impact of food insecurity and water scarcity caused by El Niño while preparing for the potential effects of the rainy season.

Project LAWA and BINHI was cited by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. in his third State of the Nation Address (SONA) on July 22, prompting the DSWD chief to say that “our small idea has become a SONA program.” (PNA)