TACLOBAN CITY – The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in the region, through its Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (KALAHI-CIDSS) program, held a partnership forum on Tuesday, Nov.26, at the Leyte Academic Center in Palo, Leyte.
The event gathered 65 national government agencies, represented by regional directors, heads of offices, and information officers under the Association of Government Information Officers (AGIO-8), to discuss strategies for strengthening the promotion of the community-driven development (CDD) approach of the KALAHI-CIDSS program.
The forum’s highlight was the ceremonial signing of a memorandum of agreement (MOA) to institutionalize partnerships among government institutions.
This initiative aims to bolster the whole-of-government approach in information dissemination and development communication, aligning with KALAHI-CIDSS’s mission of empowering communities.
“Community-driven development promotes participation, transparency, and accountability. We aim to spread these principles in our communities with the support of partner agencies. Together, we can influence meaningful change,” Grace Subong, DSWD regional director, said during her address.
Another key component of the forum was the introduction of the proposed Philippine Community Resilience Project, dubbed as “Panahon ng Pagkilos” (Time for Action).
This project seeks to strengthen community capacities for participatory resilience planning and deliver resilience investments in vulnerable areas. It also aims to encourage collaboration among partner agencies to ensure its effective implementation.
Members of AGIO-8 expressed their commitment to supporting the initiative as a platform for advancing community empowerment. Their collective efforts will not only focus on government agencies but also extend to the various sectors each member serves.
The forum underscored the importance of partnerships in achieving the program’s goals of fostering transparency, accountability, and resilience, paving the way for sustainable development in Eastern Visayas communities.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)
