The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is adopting to the new normal with its processes and transactions. Due to travel restrictions imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan – Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (Kalahi-CIDSS) made changes to its implementation, specifically in the conduct of its training on the Disaster Response Operation Procedure (DROP) to its Area Coordinating Teams (ACTs) and Municipal Coordinating Teams (MCTs), as it goes online.

To minimize exposure and possibly the spread of COVID-19, the staff of the Regional Program Management Office (RPMO) held an online training on July 22-24 on the implementation of DROP in the nine Kalahi-CIDSS – covered municipalities in Caraga Region.

DROP allows DSWD’s Kalahi-CIDSS-covered areas to shift its operations from regular developmental activities into a disaster response modality to immediately address issues related to early recovery from the pandemic.

“Our RPMO staff have prepared a series of video trainings for you to fully understand the processes and be equipped for the implementation of DROP,” Assistant Regional Director for Operations Jean Paul Parajes said in his video opening message.

Included in the training are facilitation guide for DROP, orientation on emergency procurement, sub-project implementation, liquidation and closing of accounts, and monitoring and evaluation.

“Our goal through all of this is to put health and safety first. In these trying times, let us all work hand-in-hand to bring service to our fellow Caraganons,” Parajes added.

Kalahi-CIDSS is one of the poverty allevation programs of the government being implemented by DSWD. Employing community-driven development (CDD) as a strategy, Kalahi-CIDSS trains and engages communities together with their local governments (barangay and municipal) to choose, design, and implement development projects to address their most pressing needs.