Nabas LGU commits to uphold CDD core principles

The Municipality of Nabas in the Province of Aklan expressed its commitment in upholding the core principles of Community-Driven Development (CDD) approach which introduced by the Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan – Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (KALAHI-CIDSS) program of Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

“At this moment, the Municipality of Nabas implemented the Community Driven Development (CDD) Approach for Phase 3 of KALAHI CIDSS- LGU Funded Implementation. This phase has given more empowerment to the community volunteers, as they participated in all activities, from decision-making to monitoring the subprojects and ensuring their sustainability,” said Emmanuel Jacinto, Municipal Area Coordinator (MAC) of the Municipality of Nabas.

The CDD approach has been proven to be an effective tool for empowering individuals from all walks of life, regardless of their status or circumstances, as long as they adhere to its three key principles: participation, transparency, and accountability.

This approach has empowered community volunteers who dedicate their time and effort to ensure that subprojects are completed on time, and that resources allocated for these projects are not wasted.
Jacinto further added, “The Municipality of Nabas has been a recipient of the DSWD KALAHI-CIDSS from 2012 to 2023. Both the municipal and barangay local government units, together with community volunteers, are well-versed in the processes of the DSWD KALAHI-CIDSS.”

The Municipality of Nabas is committed to encourage active participation from local communities in the planning, implementation, and monitoring of development projects. This ensures that the voices and priorities of the communities are reflected throughout all phases of the KALAHI CIDSS process.

“The Local Government of Nabas encouraged the community to participate in all KALAHI activities within their barangays. Since they proposed the projects, the community also owned these projects,” stated Jacinto.

MAC Jacinto also shared how the Area and Municipal Coordinating Team conducted the Rapid Damage Assessment and Needs Analysis (RDANA) for all 20 barangays in the municipality. This was done to identify the community’s priority needs, particularly in response to disasters such as the COVID-19 pandemic. The activity was attended by barangay councils, civil society organizations, and community volunteers. During the Barangay Disaster Risk Reduction Management Committee (BDRRMC) meeting, the community played an active role in proposing priority needs by gathering suggestions and recommendations from the public.

The Local Government Unit of Nabas conducted community development trainings and seminars for the community volunteers, barangay local government units, and other civil organizations to provide more knowledge and enhance their skills on how to manage and maintain the completed projects in their community, aiming to improve their skills in project management, financial oversight, and infrastructure maintenance.

In addition, with the supervision of the Municipal Engineering Unit, all community sub projects are monitored and to ensure that the sub projects are according to the approved plan and specification so that the sub projects have the quality to sustain and give solutions to the needs of the community.

The Municipality’s project implementation activities that were conducted were harmonized with the CDD approach, covering key result areas such as budget preparation, budget authorization, budget execution, budget accountability (monitoring), and sustainability.

Under budget preparation, the 1st Municipal Development Council (MDC) meeting was held, serving as an avenue to conduct the municipal orientation and rapid review. This was followed by the Barangay Development Council (BDC) meeting, the 2nd Municipal Development Council (MDC) meeting, and Sub-Project Development.

The municipality conducted meetings to ensure that the subprojects are well-maintained and still fully functioning. These meetings are held in each barangay to identify which subprojects need repairs to ensure their sustainability.

“They discussed the previous subprojects to determine if any improvements were needed. For example, if there was an issue with the streetlights, they checked if the lights were still functioning, whether assistance was required, or if there were any inadequacies that needed to be addressed, such as damages that required fixing for maintenance. This helped sustain the structure and orderliness of the KALAHI-CIDSS subprojects,” shared Barangay Development Council-Technical Working Group (BDC-TWG) chairperson Julie Tubao of Brgy. Poblacion, Nabas, Aklan.

One of the KALAHI-CIDSS Nabas completed subprojects funded by the LGU of Nabas is the concreting of the road with a drainage canal located in Purok 6A, Embarcadero Street, Brgy. Poblacion, Nabas, Aklan, aimed at reducing vulnerability to flooding.

BDC-TWG Chairperson Tubao shared that, in the past, the road was impassable, and during rainy days, rainwater would usually become stagnant, which could cause dengue among the residents since mosquitoes live and breed there. Additionally, the smell of the stagnant water was unpleasant.
For students and employees, they no longer experience hardship when going to school or work, as they no longer need to ride a tricycle due to poor road conditions. They can now save money by simply walking. In case of an emergency, it is no longer difficult to bring a patient to the hospital, as the ambulance can now easily access Embarcadero Street thanks to the road being concreted.

Additionally, the residents no longer experience flooding since the water does not stagnate anymore.

“We are truly grateful that the road has been concreted and cemented through the efforts of KALAHI-CIDSS Nabas,” Tubao expressed.

The Nabas LGU, through their Municipal Mayor Maria Fe T. Lasaleta, was vocal in their support of the KALAHI-CIDSS program.

“I was one of those who supported the KALAHI-CIDSS program because I appreciated their CDD approach, which empowered the community in the barangay, allowing them to choose the projects that were suitable for them. That is why, in the LGU, we truly allocated 20% of the budget for the KALAHI-CIDSS program.” Mayor Lasaleta expressed.

Mayor Lasaleta added that the implementation of the ‘KALAHI-way’ became the key reason why the projects are easier to sustain, as it is the community members who identify the subprojects. This approach greatly helps improve their livelihood. Subprojects such as water systems and road improvements/concreting have been successful. The results are outstanding, thanks to the transparency in the system.

With a dedicated budget allocation in place and a strong commitment to the core principles of participation, transparency, and accountability. LGU of Nabas demonstrated a clear understanding of the program’s goals.

The Municipality of Nabas further reinforced their adherence to these key principles by ensuring that the process remained inclusive, open, and responsible, which paved the way for the successful realization of community-driven development projects./dswd6/date

Department of Social Welfare and Development – DSWD
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