37 towns receive P500-MCovid-19 recovery projs
By Cet Dematera
Some 37 poor and disaster-stricken towns across Bicol were identified as recipients of over P500 million worth of projects that would respond to the prevailing Covid-19 pandemic.
The projects amounting P570,619,700 include construction of quarantine facilities, purchase of medical tools and supplies, or cash-for-work activities and will be implemented by the Department of Social Welfare and Development Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan – Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (DSWD LAKAHI – CIDSS).
The projects under the program dubbed as Additional Financing – Community-Based Response for Covid-19 (AFCBRC) modality will be implemented in Bombon, Cabusao, Camaligan, Canaman, Garchitorena, Magarao, Pasacao, Milaor, Minalabac, Ocampo, Presentacion, Sangay, and San Fernando in Camarines Sur; Paracale, San Lorenzo Ruiz, San Vicente, Santa Elena, Talisay, and Vinzons in Camarines Norte; Barcelona, Casiguran, Irosin, Juban, Prieto Diaz, and Sta. Magdalena in Sorsogon; Baras, Bato, Caramoran, Gigmoto, Pandan, and San Miguel in Catanduanes; and Batuan, Claveria, Dimasalang, Mobo, and Monreal in Masbate.
DSWD Bicol Director Leo Quitilla said that the municipalities were identified based on the poverty incidence, income class, and number of barangays that were affected by disasters from 2014-2020.
Quintilla said these towns already underwent capacity assessments to ensure that the local government units (LGUs) are ready to participate in this year’s implementation.
“The modality will be implemented in two groups of municipalities in which 37 municipalities belonging in the first group will implement this July until December, while the second group will start in August 2021 until 2022,” he explained.
Quintilla said that the second group of municipalities is still on its enrolment phase.
The AF-CBRC will be using the Disaster Response Operations Procedure (DROP), a simplified version of Community Empowerment Activity Cycle (CEAC) to hasten the process of approval of community-identified projects and implementation, while still following the basic principles of Community-Driven Development (CDD) approach.
KALAHI-CIDSS is a poverty alleviation program of DSWD that uses CDD approach to help communities in poor municipalities to identify challenges, make informed decisions, and control resources to address poverty.
In 2020, the program has completed 573 community projects amounting to P129,316,552.89 in 15 municipalities of Bicol region.