In a collaborative effort to assess the progress and impact of development projects, high-ranking officials from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) toured various sites in Leyte province on Thursday. The delegation, headed by DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian and ADB Vice President Scott Morris, focused on community-driven projects supported by ADB funding.
The visit commenced with a strategic meeting at The Tropics, McArthur Park in Palo town, where discussions revolved around current collaborations and potential future partnerships. The group then proceeded to Tanauan town to review several ADB-funded initiatives, including those aimed at the rehabilitation of areas devastated by Typhoon Yolanda in 2013.
Among the projects visited was Bislig Elementary School, which had been severely damaged by the typhoon and was subsequently reconstructed in 2015 with ADB assistance. The delegation also examined a gravity-fed water system in Barangay Calsadahay, Tanauan, which was established in 2018 to provide local residents with easier access to clean water, eliminating the need to travel to distant areas for water collection.
Accompanying Secretary Gatchalian were key DSWD figures such as Undersecretary Monina Josefina Romualdez, Assistant Secretary Ada Colico, Director Bernadette Mapue-Joaquin, and Regional Director Grace Subong. The ADB team included Country Director Pavit Ramachandran, Principal Country Specialist Christina Lozano, and Country Operations Head Alain Morel. Local leadership was represented by Tanauan Mayor Gina Merilo.