After Kabankalan City in Negros Occidental, the Department of Social Welfare and Development 6 (DSWD-6) targets Iloilo City as its urban beneficiary of Kapit Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan - Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (Kalahi-CIDSS) because it has illegal settlers, street children, child laborers, many unemployed and is prone to disasters.

DSWD-6 Asst. Director Joel Galicia said since they’re close to completing the project’s implementation in the rural areas, they are also considering the cities of Sagay, Bago, Himamaylan, all in Negros Occidental and Roxas City in Capiz. 

In Region 6, the program has already engaged 36 LGUs and more than 800 barangays in rural areas, empowered more than 16,000 community volunteers, and provided more than 1.3 million in grant to more than 1,500 community sub-projects like day care centers, school buildings, health stations, road improvements, water systems, and solar dryers.

BOTTOM-UP

Meanwhile, starting this year, the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and Department of Budget Management (DBM) through the DSWD will require LGUs to adopt the Bottom-Up Budgeting and Planning program.

Galicia said this is in the form of public consultation before any project is implemented in the municipal and barangay levels.

“This is to ensure participation in the budgeting process, decision-making and transparency of the project,” Galicia said.

He added that two weeks ago, they have started giving orientations to the DSWD Municipal Action Team and the Local Poverty Reduction Action Team about the program.

He added that the approved budget and priority plans in the barangay level will be submitted to the LGU, then the mayor will endorse it to the DILG-6 who will then submit it to the national DBM.

He said poor municipalities will be given assistance of P 60 million.*