With a total additional fund of P905,356,150 for Caraga Region, the KALAHI-CIDSS Regional Program Management Office (RPMO) announced that all the region’s 67 municipalities (except its five cities) will get community projects from 2021 to 2023.

The additional fund from the World Bank will be for the Community-Based Response for Covid (CBRC) projects of KALAHI-CIDSS.

KALAHI-CIDSS or the Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan – Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services is one of the poverty alleviation programs of the government being implemented by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

“The grant will be divided into two groups in terms of its implementation,” Regional Program Manager Ester V. Villamor said during the RPMO-Area Coordinating Team (ACT) Meeting at Balanghai Hotel and Convention Center on Monday, January 25.

“First group will be in 2021, wherein P155,258,350 is allocated for 15 municipalities. In 2022-2023, the remaining 52 municipalities will be served with a total P750,097,900 fund allocation,” Villamor said.

The 15 towns that will be served first are Barobo, Bayabas, Cagwait, Carmen, Madrid, and San Agustin in Surigao del Sur Province; Alegria, Bacuag, Malimono, Pilar, San Benito, San Francisco, and Tubod in Surigao del Norte province; La Paz in Agusan del Sur province; and Carmen in Agusan del Norte province.

“We are here to work for the reduction of poverty. We are proud that we are part of KALAHI-CIDSS, a program that aims to alleviate the plight of the poor in the country,” Villamor told the RPMO and ACT staff.

“Walang atrasan kay mao ni atong mission this year (There’s no backing down because this is our mission this year,” Villamor added.

Meanwhile, OIC-Assistant Regional Director for Operations Jean Paul S. Parajes reminded on Monday the ACT staff, who will be deployed to the field this week, to do their job well and follow the Code of Ethics of the Department.