BUTUAN CITY – As the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) inches to its implementation of the National Community-Driven Development Program (NCDDP), its development partner, the World Bank was impressed with the success of the Kalahi-CIDSS implementation in the region.

During a project assessment and evaluation conducted by World Bank earlier this month in the municipality of Pilar, Surigao del Norte, initial results are indicating that Kalahi-CIDSS may be well on its way into scaling it up to a national program.

World Bank senior social development specialist Ma. Loreto Padua was very positive in her feedback saying that there are “strong indications of the municipal local government units (MLGUs) adopting the community-driven development elements such as influencing the preparation of local development plans and creation of expanded development councils” in their system.

The community-driven development (CDD) approach helps communities covered by Kalahi-CIDSS by giving them control over planning decisions and financial management for local development projects.

The group also recognized the results of the Kalahi-CIDSS sub-projects in improving the lives of the households particularly in Brgy. Katipunan in Pilar.

“We are pleased to see that the sub-projects built by the communities are still functional and well-maintained by the Kalahi-CIDSS volunteers. This is a significant manifestation that they value these infrastructures well as these were their identified solutions to their problems,” Padua said.

“All these initial results point to a brighter path for Kalahi-CIDSS processes to be adopted in the NCDDP,” DSWD Caraga regional director Dr. MInda B. Brigoli added.

In addition to framing Kalahi-CIDSS into NCDDP, the World Bank also looked into operational linkages of Kalahi-CIDSS with the 2013 Bottom-up Planning and Budgeting (BUB); implementation of both Panatawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) and Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP); and two other CDD projects of the agency, the Payapa at Masaganang Pamayanan (PAMANA) and AusAID modalities.

Padua added that the successful implementation of Kalahi-CIDSS in Pilar has brought the DSWD’s convergence strategy into a concrete framework as barangays in the area put up one-stop shop of information booths known as the barangay sub-project management committee (BSPMC) office where households and beneficiaries alike get access to the services of the agency. ### (Social Marketing Unit)