KALAHI-CIDSS to fund six community projects in New Washington, Aklan

New Washington, Aklan- The Kapit-Bisig Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (KALAHI-CIDSS) of the Department of Social Welfare and Development will fund six community projects in New Washington, Aklan, based on the result of the Municipal Development Council-Participatory Resource Allocation (MDC-PRA) initiative.

The six community projects are construction of one- unit one classroom elementary school building with amenities (Barangay Cawayan); construction of one unit child development center with amenities (Barangay Mataphao); concreting of road with slope protection (Barangay Fatima); road concreting with cross drain (Barangay Guinbaliwan); construction of one- unit child development center with amenities (Lawa-an) and construction of one-unit one classroom elementary school building with amenities (Barangay Dumaguit).

Community engagement played a vital role in the project’s development. Volunteers actively participated by presenting their proposals in various creative formats, such as video presentations and dramatizations. This engagement helped highlight the most pressing issues within the community and facilitated discussions on the necessary interventions.

The projects were rated by members of the Local Development Council (LDC), which includes representation from Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), ensuring a comprehensive approach to community needs.

To bolster this initiative, the Barangay Local Government Unit of Dumaguit and the Municipal Local Government Unit of New Washington, led by Mayor Jessica Panambo, will provide more than Php 500,000 as a cash counterpart for the Dumaguit project, as the total costs exceed the remaining grant.

Funding allocation for these projects was determined based on strict eligibility and development criteria established during the Criteria Setting Workshop (CSW).

Eligibility criteria emphasized the completeness of the project proposal, active Barangay PhilGEPs registrations, and the accuracy of the Land Acquisition, Resettlement, and Rehabilitation (LARR) documents for the project sites.

Development criteria focused on strategic benefits, sustainability, the number of direct beneficiaries, urgency and responsiveness, economic impact, and overall community impact of the project.

The MDC-PRA initiative seeks to ensure that community members play an active role in identifying priorities and allocating resources for projects, thereby ensuring the funded initiatives are aligned with the needs and aspirations of the local residents.

The MDC-PRA event was coordinated by Area Coordinator John Marlou Salido, with support from Cherryiel Bree Sarabia and the Municipal Area Coordinating Team, reflecting a collaborative effort among the Municipal Local Government Unit, the Municipal Development Council-Technical Working Group, and the KALAHI-CIDSS Regional Program Management Office to enhance local infrastructure and services./dswd6/mmc