BUTUAN CITY – To strengthen its partnership with key stakeholders, the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) anti-poverty program called KALAHI-CIDSS Makamasang Tugon, the provincial local government units of Surigao del Sur and Agusan del Sur recently showed their support as they signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) on July 11 and 12, respectively.

Both provinces had been selected by the Regional Project Management Office (RPMO) to implement the LGU-led Makamasang Tugon as the concentration of the previous KALAHI-CIDSS areas is found in these provinces.

The MOA stipulates the major role the PLGUs will take in implementing the project by facilitating the community-driven development (CDD) strategies to promote participation, transparency, and accountability in the local planning and budgeting process – using the lessons learned from the three years of KALAHI-CIDSS implementation in their towns.

The municipalities of San Miguel, Bayabas, Marihatag, Tagbina, and Hinatuan in Surigao del Sur and Sibagat, Esperanza, La Paz, and San Luis in Agusan del Sur are set to implement the project July of this year.

Moreover, the municipalities of Cagwait in Surigao del Sur and Veruela in Agusan del Sur were also represented by their mayors to formally inform  them that  their respective municipalities are included in the second cycle implementation of the regular KALAHI-CIDSS.

These municipalities shall implement the project for one year and are expected to have institutionalized the project’s processes in their municipalities. ### (Social Marketing Unit)