Eleven community volunteers from Western Visayas won in the recent 4th National Bayani Ka! awards of the Kapit- Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan- Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (Kalahi-CIDSS) of Department of Social Welfare and Development held in Cebu, City.
The winners received their plaques and cash prize from USEC and Kalahi-CIDSS Deputy National Program Manager Maria Lourdes T. Jarabe and Alan Mangalino, Kalahi-CIDSS Focal Person under the Office of Secretary Virginia Orogo.
Kalahi-CIDSS community volunteers all over the country vied in nine categories namely Indigenous Peoples Welfare, Environment Protection, Improved Local Governance, Gender and Development, Promotion of Just Peace, Persons with Disability, Elderly, Youth and Sustained Community Volunteers Group.
The Bayani Ka! Awards is the annual and highest recognition given by Kalahi-CIDSS to its exemplary community volunteers and partners implementing and promoting the Community-Driven Development. This year’s awarding rites was dubbed as Pagsaulog 2018.
The winners were Arnie Dolinog, Barangay Oyang, Libacao, Aklan (IP Welfare); Josie Ajero, Barangay Mararison, Culasi, Antique (Environmental Protection), Celerina Nobleza, Barangay Aureliana, Patnongon, Antique, (Elderly); Loreto Constantino Jr., Barangay Tingib, Pandan, Antique (Youth); Barangay Captain Ruth Cachuela, Barangay Agdaliran, San Dionisio, Iloilo (Improved Local Governance); Jecciebel Segovia, Barangay Naisud, Ibajay, Aklan (Gender and Development); Susan Virgo, Barangay Naile, Ibajay, Aklan, (Sustained Community Group); Edgardo Quinton, Barangay Panayakan, Tangalan, Aklan, (Promotion of Just Peace) and Jonalyn Pinuela, Barangay Sigangao, Zarraga, Iloilo (Persons with Disability).
These nine community volunteers were also the 2017 Regional Bayani Ka! winners of DSWD Field Office VI.
Other winners were retired teacher Angela Firmeza of Purok Star Apple, Barangay Zone 1 (Elderly) and Ma. Concepcion Benigay of Paho Zone 1 (Persons with Disability). Both are from Murcia, Negros Occidental.
The two were then regional winners of the defunct Negros Island Region and was later reverted to Region VI.
The 11 winners were joined by DSWD-6 Assistant Regional Director for Operations Delia Bagolcol, Kalahi-CIDSS Deputy Regional Program Manager Engr. Silverio Von Maguad III and Regional Project Coordinator Bernardita Mates in receiving the awards.
San Dionisio Vice Mayor Darwin Bajada, SB member Reynaldo Matutina of Zarraga, Iloilo and Thomas Bacaoco, Senior Executive Assistant III in the municipality of Patnongon, Antique also joined in the awarding rites.# (KC-SMU/DSWD).