Butuan City- As a first step of partnership engagement with Silangan Mindanao Mining Company, Inc. (SMMCI), the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) through the Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan- Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (Kalahi-CIDSS) conducted a basic orientation and skills enhancement about Community Driven Development (CDD) on January 13-17, 2014 at Executive Function Center, Tubod, Surigao del Norte.

This activity was participated by community relations personnel and management staff of SMMCI headed by Engr. Robert Wagtingan, Project Manager.

Ester Villamor, Regional Community Development Specialist, Edward John Ty, Monitoring and Evaluation IV, and Engr. Vinnes Lastimado, Regional Infrastructure Assistant, from the Regional Project Management Office were the resource persons of the orientation.

KC field staff Gladys Agbu, Irene Dela Torre, Ruby Magatines, Josito Trinidad, and Emily Gatillo also discussed some topics and shared their experiences in implementing CDD projects.

CDD is an approach used by Kalahi-CIDSS which has been proven effective in empowering communities especially the poor, who are encouraged to participate in governance and ensure that their needs are properly addressed to combat local poverty issues.

“We are thankful to DSWD-Kalahi CIDSS for sharing the CDD technology because this will surely help SMMCI in its implementation of Community Development Projects (CDP),” said Engr. Wagtingan in his message.

DSWD and SMMCI had newly inked partnership through a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) signing last December 9, 2013 at Balanghai Convention Center and Hotel, Butuan City. ###(Eunice G. Montaos/Social Marketing unit/ DSWD Field Office Caraga)