In its effort to acknowledge the outstanding contributions of its community volunteers, the Municipality of Carrascal, Surigao del Sur celebrated “Pahigayon” or Community Volunteers’ Day with the theme “Kalambuan Kab-uton, Pagka-boluntaryo Ipadayon (Achieve Progress, Continue Volunteerism).”
The celebration was not only an acknowledgment of the unyielding efforts of the community volunteers but also a heartfelt tribute to the unsung heroes behind every sub-project implemented under the Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan – Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (KALAHI-CIDSS) program.
The activity was attended by Sangguniang Bayan (SB) Member Leovino Constantino, Association of Barangay Captains (ABC) President Carmelita Correos, Municipal Inter-Agency Committee Officers, Barangay Local Government Unit (BLGU) officials, KALAHI-CIDSS Regional Program Management Office (RPMO) staff, and community volunteers.
Carrascal Municipal Social Welfare and Development Officer (MSWDO) Kresta Mae Pa-as acknowledged the dedication and hard work of the community volunteers for the successful implementation of the KALAHI-CIDSS sub-projects.
“Excited gajud kami na mahimo kini to honor your sacrifices, to honor your dedication, and to honor your contributions to the development of your communities (We are very excited to be able to do this, to honor your sacrifices, to honor your dedication, and to honor your contributions to the development of your communities),” MSWDO Pa-as gleefully exclaimed.
Additionally, she highlighted the importance of collaboration and coordination between community volunteers and partner government agencies.
“Sa pag-end sa program, I know you are all proud to say nga parte kamo nan daycare center nga tagtukod sa among komunidad. You have this legacy nga mapabilin na kabahin kamo sa niini nga programa nga nikadto sa inyong mga barangay (As KALAHI – CIDSS program concludes, I know you are proud to say that you were part of building this daycare center in your community. You have this legacy that will remain as part of this program that reached your barangays),” she added.
Voices of Volunteerism: KALAHI-CIDSS community volunteers share inspiring journeys
Lorna Almaza, Barangay Development Council – Technical Working Group (BDC-TWG) Chairperson of Brgy. Gamuton, Carrascal, Surigao del Sur. Teart-eyed, Lorna expressed that this event was something they had long dreamed of as dedicated community volunteers.
“Ang ako lang makahisulti sa KALAHI-CIDSS, dako gajud karajaw nga tabang ang nahatag ini nga programa sa kada barangay tungod sa sub-projects na kanila taghatag. Apan dili lang sila mag-limit nan sub-projects kun dili ang pag-empower sa ato nga mga boluntaryo na mao ila top priority project (All I can say about KALAHI-CIDSS is that this program has provided great help to every barangay, especially because of the sub-projects they implement, but more than the impact of the sub-projects – empowering us volunteers is their top priority project),” Lorna remarked.
Esterlita Maturan, the BDC-TWG Chairperson of Brgy. Bon-ot, Carascal, Surigao del Sur, shared her insights as a fellow community volunteer.
“Nagpasalamat ako na taghatagan ako nan higayon para amo mapahiabot ang amo wala’y puas na pagpasalamat ngadto sa KALAHI-CIDSS tungod sa mga sub-projects na amo kuman naangkon sa matag-isa kanamo’ng barangay. Nakahatag kini ug dako nga kalambuan sa matag-barangay (I am grateful for the opportunity for me to express our heartfelt appreciation to KALAHI-CIDSS for the impactful sub-projects they have implemented, which have significantly contributed to the development of our barangays),” Esterlita shared.
Furthermore, Esterlita urged her fellow volunteers to continue monitoring and maintaining the sub-projects to ensure that their benefits extend to future generations.
The program ended with the singing of the KALAHI – CIDSS hymn “Kwentong Pagbabago” to symbolize the dedication, shared vision, and unity of the community volunteers and partner government agencies. It underscores the important role of community-driven efforts in addressing local issues and highlights how these grassroots movements, bolstered by strategic programs like KALAHI-CIDSS, contribute to lasting development.
KALAHI-CIDSS is a poverty alleviation program. It uses the community-driven development (CDD) approach which helps communities in poor municipalities identify challenges and make informed decisions on a range of locally identified options for development.
