The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in Eastern Visayas has completed 236 pandemic-related response projects through its Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan- Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (Kalahi-CIDSS) disaster response operations procedure.

Kalahi-CIDSS deputy regional program manager Gerardo Peneda said in a statement on Thursday that 97 percent of the target 244 projects have been used by locally-stranded individuals (LSIs), returning overseas Filipino workers, and medical and local front-liners.

“We will make sure that the completion of the remaining eight projects is expected to be within the first half of November this year,” Peneda said.

The community-identified projects include a cash-for-work scheme and construction of health quarantine/isolation facilities, procurement of personal protective equipment, provision of communication equipment, and medical supplies for use of LSIs, returning overseas Filipino workers, and front-liners.

The implementation of these projects is part of DSWD Kalahi-CIDSS activation of its disaster response operations procedure in response to Proclamation No. 929 declaring a state of national calamity in the entire country, due to the threats of the health crisis.

The Kalahi-CIDSS, one of the agency’s poverty-alleviation programs, uses the community-driven development strategy to mobilize communities in targeted poor and disaster-affected municipalities in identifying their most pressing needs, managing and implementing solutions, and maintaining them.

The central government and World Bank have funded over PHP174 million to carry out these coronavirus disease 2019 response-related projects in 26 poor towns.

The 26 towns are Allen, Gamay, Victoria, Mapanas, and Rosario in Northern Samar province; Biliran Kawayan in Biliran province; Giporlos, Lawaan, Maydolong, Oras, San Julian, and Mercedes in Eastern Samar; Hinundayan, Macrohon, Libagon, Padre Burgos, Pintuyan, Saint Bernard, San Francisco, San Ricardo, Silago, and San Juan in Southern Leyte; Inopacan and Merida in Leyte; and Pagsanghan in Samar province.

Launched in 2003, Kalahi-CIDSS is one of the poverty alleviation programs being implemented by the DSWD.

It uses the community-driven development approach, a globally recognized strategy for achieving service delivery, poverty reduction, and good governance outcomes. (PNA)