Twenty-five (25) community volunteers of the Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan – Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (Kalahi – CIDSS) of the Department of Social Welfare and Development Field Office 1 (DSWD FO 1) were honored recently for championing the community-driven development (CDD) approach to local planning during the first Municipal Community Volunteers’ Congress held in San Gabriel, La Union.

The awardees who are volunteering for DSWD Kalahi-CIDSS since its inception in the Region in 2014 have been instrumental in the implementation of community-driven development strategy in San Gabriel.

DSWD Kalahi-CIDSS aims to empower poor communities in the country by applying the community-driven development approach as technology in allowing people to participate in more inclusive local planning, budgeting, and implementation of programs and services.

Tagged as CDD champions, said community volunteers were awarded plaques of recognition handed to them personally by the Regional Director of DSWD FO 1, Marcelo Nicomedes J. Castillo.

In his speech during the awarding rite, Director Castillo highlighted the importance of community involvement and cooperation in achieving better results in community project implementations.

“Mas may bunga po ang proyekto kung ang mga tao mismo ang siyang gumagawa nito. Kung anuman ang resulta nito ay bunga po iyon ng pagkakaisa ninyo (A project bears better results if the people implement it by themselves. Whatever the result is the fruit of your cooperation),” the Regional Director said.

Director Castillo also added that everyone is already empowered, so what one must do is to tap and use it for community works and volunteerism.

All 15 barangays of San Gabriel were also given plaques of appreciation for their support to DSWD Kalahi-CIDSS during the activity.

San Gabriel has a total of 315 community volunteers in 18 sub-projects since the first cycle. (by Ruperto A. Sabalo, Jr., Social Marketing Officer, Kalahi-CIDSS)