The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in Central Visayas has successfully completed more than 3,700 community sub-projects, investing a total of PHP2.6 billion since 2014. Shalaine Marie Lucero, the regional director of DSWD-7, highlighted that these initiatives were part of the Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (Kalahi-CIDSS) program, which spanned across the region’s four provinces.
The distribution of projects included 1,578 in Cebu, 1,337 in Bohol, 665 in Negros Oriental, and 147 in Siquijor. These efforts are aimed at fostering community-driven development and sustainability. In a recent move to further empower local communities, DSWD-7 organized a three-day Community Volunteers Congress and Bayani Ka! Awards 2024 in Cebu City.
The event saw the participation of 290 individuals involved in implementing the Kalahi-CIDSS program. It served as a platform to evaluate the program’s challenges and gaps, while also enhancing participants’ skills through various activities. Lucero emphasized the importance of inspiring other volunteers to uphold the principles of participation, transparency, and accountability in community development efforts.