Gov. Uy to fine-tune KALAHI-CIDSS for local implementation

NABUNTURAN, Compostela Valley -Known for adopting the KALAHI-CIDSS concept, Compostela Valley Governor Arturo T. Uy, who has emulated the concept through his ATU-PEACE (Assistance Towards Unity for Progress thru Empowerment, Accountability, Cooperation and Efficiency), vowed to find ways to perfect the concept so that it will suit its implementation at the provincial level.

KALAHI-CIDSS or Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan –Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services is a community-driven development (CDD) project of the Philippine Government where decision-making resides in the community.

In a briefing for the visiting team of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the governor said at present, his administration has started going through the ATU-PEACE program and how it can improve its implementation.

“If we have technical people coming from DSWD or other agencies to help us with the innovations to make it [ATU-PEACE] more perfect, more like the KALAHI-CIDSS program or a twin KALAHI-CIDSS program, then it would be better,” the governor said.

He said KALAHI-CIDSS concept is one of the best programs the national government, through the DSWD, has implemented because this has provided assistance to those who really need help.  “The system -community-driven development or CDD is so rigid and it involves the community.

Ibig sabihinit is not only what the barangay officials or what the barangay captains need or want. Kasi there are barangays where the officials or the captains are the only ones who choose the project like farm-to-my-house roads,” he added.

The governor, when he assumed in 2007, found that not all barangays were able to get a share out of the 20% provincial development fund.  So that when he attended one of the KALAHI-CIDSS activities, he asked officials of the department, including Assistant Regional Director Priscilla N. Razon, about the nitty-gritty of the project.