The Department of Social Welfare and Development- Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (KALAHI-CIDSS) recently conducted an orientation for Iloilo City officials and department heads on the implementation of the PHP7.5 million incentive grant.
The PH7.5 million is an incentive grant given to cities or municipalities with 20 or more returning families under the Balik Probinsya program. Iloilo City has 19 returning families. The government has already provided them with support packages amounting to more than PHP1.4 million. KALAHI-CIDSS Community Development Officer 4 Elizabeth Ferraris said the allocation of the funds will go through with the Program’s process.
“There is a process in the distribution of funds. Funds are directly deposited to the community accounts.”During the orientation, Ferraris made clear that it is the community that will identify the projects for KALAHI-CIDSS funding. The proposed subprojects depend on the needs of the communities. The city government will have to form an interagency committee to set the criteria for the selection of projects. The proposed projects identified by the communities will then be presented during the inter-barangay forum for prioritization and eventually for funding purposes.
Ferraris said it is the process that KALAHI-CIDSS is selling out to the people of Iloilo City. The primary objective of the Program is to empower communities, improve local governance, and reduce poverty. Iloilo City government was represented by Councilor Allan Zaldivar, City Social Welfare and Development Officer Teresa Gelogo, and Mary Grace Centino, Social Welfare Officer IV, Assistant for Overall Operation of the CSWD during the meeting. Representatives from the different departments of the city government likewise attended the said orientation. Before the orientation, the DSWD team had a courtesy call with Mayor Jerry Trenas regarding the incentive grant.
The mayor has requested a copy of the memorandum of agreement from the DSWD for his review and approval of the Sangguniang Panlungsod. Before the project implementation starts, the city council will pass a resolution allowing Mayor Trenas to enter into a memorandum of agreement with the DSWD on the implementation of the Balik Probinsya projects.
