Butuan City- The Kapit-Bisig sa Laban sa Kahirapan- Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social services (Kalahi-CIDSS) program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) started in June 30, 2015 its conduct of the municipal talakayan which targets to involve thirteen (13) municipalities in Caraga namely Jabonga, Cagdiano, Cagwait, Veruela, Las Nieves, Gigaquit, Hinatuan, Socorro, Pilar, San Benito, Tubod, Libjo, and Loreto (PDI).

The Municipal Inter-Agency Committee (MIAC) members headed by the mayor, punong barangays, and community volunteers are the expected participants of the one-day activity.

Kalahi-CIDSS Regional Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist Edward John C. Ty said that the Talakayan is designed to measure the condition and level of local development of Kalahi-CIDSS towns by bringing together the local stakeholders to a municipal-level dialogue.

“This activity is expected to generate learning experiences of the local stakeholders in their walk towards local development,” said Ty.

It was also disclosed that with the conduct of Talakayan the following are aimed: increased awareness of the local stakeholders on the development status of their municipality, provision of venue for systematic face-to-face feedback between local development program/project implementers and the community beneficiaries, and promotion of the use of information at the local level to support better planning and reporting of outcomes.

The activity is comprised of learning sessions, gallery walk, and focus group discussions (FGDs). The highlight of the Talakayan is the discussion on the status and background of the municipality, state of local governance, socio-economic development, and of people empowerment. The Sibog Katawhan Alang sa Paglambo (SIKAP), a Civil Society Organization (CSO), is tapped for the documentation of the activity in the region.

To date, the municipalities of Jabonga and Cagdianao are already done while other towns are to follow. It is targeted by the regional management that all these will be completed before the year ends.

The Kalahi-CIDSS is a community-driven  development  program  implemented  by  the  DSWD as one of its key poverty-reduction programs along with Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program and Sustainable Livelihood Program.### (Social Marketing Unit/DSWD Field Office Caraga)