Kalibo to avail Kalahi CIDSS NCDDP grant

BY BOY RYAN B. ZABAL

The town of Kalibo is eligible to get funding from Kapit Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan – Comprehensive Integrated Delivery of Social Services – National Community Driven Development Program (Kalahi CIDSS NCDDP) in the region. It allotted P26 million grant to benefit villages and residents affected by Typhoon Yolanda.

Although Kalibo is a first class municipality, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has chosen the town as a beneficiary within the targeted provinces of NCDDP. 

 Kalibo is categorized as Yolanda-affected but outside the 670 “poor” municipalities or what they called group ‘177’. 

 The community grant for Kalibo is determined by the poverty incidence level and the population of the municipality based on 2010 national census. 

 The funds will be used to rehabilitate and develop the affected barangays in Kalibo. The proposed projects are collaborative effort of the barangays and the municipal government, with the supervision of the Regional Project Management.

 Last June 2, DSWD regional director Ma. Evelyn Macapobre confirmed that Kalibo has submitted its intent to implement Kalahi CIDSS. 

 Further, the town also submitted the required enrollment form and the local council resolution authorizing Mayor William Lachica to enter into a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with DSWD and other partner and stakeholders.

The local counterpart contribution of Kalibo is almost P11-million, either cash or in-kind in the form of materials, labor and trainings. The projects are expected to run and to be implemented for 18 months.

NCDDP focuses on disaster risk reduction and management (DRRM) involving ‘Yolanda-affected’ areas and the poorest municipalities in the country. Its total target coverage is 847 municipalities in 58 provinces of 14 regions in the Philippines to construct day care centers, school buildings, classrooms, foot bridges, access roads, community water systems, health sanitations, sea walls, flood systems and artificial reef sanctuaries. 

 The program has three components, namely, community grants, capacity-building and implementation and program management, monitoring and evaluation. NCCDP also empowers the communities to identify their priority needs, implement and monitor the projects.

 Kalahi CIDSS NCCDP is targeting eligible rural towns in Aklan for the more community-based projects to respond to the needs of the barangays for its post-disaster recovery and rehabilitation.

 Last March, Mayor William Lachica announced the funding of Kalahi CIDSS for the construction of a bridge connecting the barangays of Bakhaw Sur and Bakhaw Norte.