Culasi bags Model LGU Implementing Kalahi-CIDSS national award
The Municipality of Culasi, Antique was adjudged as the national winner in the Model Local Government Unit implementing Kalahi-CIDSS under the Gawad Paglilingkod sa Sambayanan (GAPAS) award of the Department of Social Welfare and Development.
DSWD will confer the Pagkilala sa Natatanging Kontribusyon sa Bayan (PaNata Ko sa Bayan) awards via teleconference on January 29 at Zuri Hotel. The virtual awarding is the department’s measure in preventing the spread of the Coronavirus.
GAPAS award is a sub-category of the PaNata Ko sa Bayan Awards. This award is given to stakeholders who for their invaluable support to the social welfare department and its program during the DSWD anniversary. This year’s theme is DSWD @70: Kabalikat ng Mahihirap sa Panahon ng Pandemya.
DSWD Secretary Rolando Joselito Bautista will give his message while USEC Mark Allan Jay Yambao provides the PaNata overview.
Culasi made history when it adopted the Community-Driven Driven technology in implementing its community projects amounting to P6.5 million in 2020. By that time, Culasi is not already a Kalahi-CIDSS covered municipality.
CDD is the strategy employed by the Kalahi-CIDSS of the Department of Social Welfare and Development in implementing its projects in rural areas.
Mayor Jose Jeffrey Lomugdang decided to utilize a portion of the savings accrued from previous Kalahi-CIDSS implementation to continue building community projects using the CDD approach.
The commitment of the late Vice Convenor Amancio Estolloso, Municipal Planning and Development Officer Sylvia Malacad, and the Municipal Coordinating Team led by Liezel Charice Untal contributed to the successful implementation of the Program in Culasi.
Six projects were identified for funding during the Municipal Inter-Barangay Forum using the local development fund. These are the flood control (gabion type) at Barangay Bitadton Norte; Buhi (slope protection); Balac-Balac (flood control gabion type); Jalandoni (road concreting); Camancijan (road concreting) and San Luis (road concreting). These sub-projects were completed on time and funds were properly utilized.
Culasi is the first and the only municipality in Western Visayas implementing its poverty alleviation projects using their local development fund with a CDD approach.
CDD is a strategy where local communities take control of the planning, implementation, and resource investments for their local development.
CDD ensures that programs integrate the principles of local empowerment, participatory governance, demand-responsiveness, administrative autonomy, greater downward accountability, and enhanced local capacity.
Kalahi-CIDSS was first implemented in Culasi in 2012 with grants from the Millennium Challenge Corporation.
From 2012-2019, Kalahi-CIDSS has provided a grant of more than P135 million for the completion of 136 sub-projects in Culasi. While the local government unit has poured P18.5 million as a local cash counterpart contribution.
Source: DSWD Western Visayas FB Page