WB exec confident that Kalahi-CIDSS expansion toward NCDDP is a good way to reduce poverty

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MANILA — A lady official of the World Bank said on Wednesday she is confident that the scaling-up of the government’s Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (Kalahi-CIDSS) into National Community Driven Development Program (NCDDP) is an empowering and beneficial tool for reduction of poverty in the Philippines.

The KC-NCDDP is to be implemented from 2014 to 2019 by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) headed by Secretary Corazon J. Soliman in coordination with the different agencies of the government.

In a press briefing held at the Annabel’s Restaurant in Tomas Morato, Quezon City, WB Acting Country Director Chiyo Kanda expressed strong support to the KC-NCDDP, noting the program is an effective approach of the government in its poverty alleviation program where no one will be left behind in an inclusive growth for all.

“Therefore, the Board of Directors, in its strong support to the program, is granting a loan of USD 479 million (equivalent to Php 19.4 billion) to help scale-up the program to a nationwide coverage,” Kanda said.

She added that the WB is impressed with the way the program of Kalahi-CIDSS is being implemented by the DSWD, wherein the community and its people are the ones who decide and choose the project that they identify to be an answer for their recovery and development.

She cited that since priority under the program’s expansion is to help in rebuilding the typhoon “Yolanda”- affected communities, it will help speed up the recovery and construction of damaged infrastructures and facilities.

“The approach really helps a lot because it brings development in the communities’ hand and empowers the poor to organize, identify problems and project by themselves, then implement and manage funds, learn its supervision on its operation and maintenance,” she added.

She explained that she personally saw several Kalahi-CIDSS projects and described them to be really beneficial.

“It really works because when the community knows that it is their project, and they participate in the decision, control and management of funds, the implementation cost is lower and not substandard as they will not settle for a structure that does not follow basic standard. Therefore, there is no corruption for there is transparency,” Kanda said.

Aside from the Yolanda-affected areas, the KC-NCDDP expansion is set to benefit other poor communities nationwide as it collaborates with other government agencies such as the Department of Education (DepEd), Department of Health (DOH), Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) and others.

The collaboration will ensure that no duplication of projects will happen and that those in the fourth, fifth and sixth-class municipalities will benefit most from the NCDDP whose mother is Kalahi-CIDSS program.

Kalahi-CIDSS is implemented since 2003 and one of the three core poverty alleviation programs of DSWD alongside with Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) and Sustainable Livelihood Program (STL) that help in breaking the inter-generational cycle of poverty by complementing each other.

According to the DSWD, Kalahi-CIDSS or now KC-NCDDP is a proof of the Aquino government’s commitment to the poor Filipinos, “wherein they are the bosses” as the poor are the ones who will manage and implement the projects that will serve best their interest and be their tool towards inclusive growth.

Aside from the WB loan, the expansion of Kalahi-CIDSS into NCDDP also receives funding from the national government in the amount of P9.3 billion.

In addition, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) also provided USD 3.72.1 million (or PhP 15.1 billion) as loan.

This brings the total funding for KC-NCDDP to the amount of PhP 43.9 billion. (PNA) SCS/LSJ and OJT Jinessa U. De DomingoThe World Bank strongly believes that the expansion of the KALAHI-CIDSS into the National Community-Driven Development Program (KC-NCDDP)
WILL EMPOWER MORE LOCAL COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO PARTICIPATE IN LOCAL PLANNING, BUDGETING AND IMPLEMENTATION OF COMMUNITY-LEVEL PROJECTS THAT HELP REDUCE POVERTY. THAT IS WHY LAST FEBRUARY, THE WORLD BANK GROUP’S BOARD OF EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS EXPRESSED STRONG SUPPORT TO THIS PROGRAM AND APPROVED A US9 MILLION LOAN TO SCALE UP THE KALAHI-CIDSS TO A NATION-WIDE COVERAGE. WE EXPECT THAT THE WORLD BANK FINANCING WILL COVER 477 OF 847 MUNICIPALITIES TARGETED BY NCDDP, AND WILL BENEFIT MORE THAN EIGHT MILLION FILIPINOS IN POOR RURAL COMMUNITIES, INCLUDING YOLANDA-AFFECTED AREAS, WHO WILL HAVE BETTER ACCESS TO SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC INFRASTRUCTURE AND SERVICESTHERE IS ALSO ANOTHER GOOD REASON WHY WE ARE SUPPORTING THIS PROGRAM: IT WILL PRIORITIZE COMMUNITIES AFFECTED BY THE DISASTER WHICH DEVASTATED CENTRAL PHILIPPINES IN NOVEMBER OF 2013. THE USE OF COMMUNITY-DRIVEN DEVELOPMENT APPROACHES IN POST-DISASTER SITUATIONS HAS SHOWN TO BE EFFECTIVE AROUND THE WORLD IN ACCELERATING COMMUNITY-LED RECONSTRUCTION AND EFFICIENTLY PUTTING MONEY FOR PRIORITY NEEDS OF COMMUNITIES.THE COMMUNITY DRIVEN APPROACH USED IN KALAHI HAS HELPED BRING DEVELOPMENT IN THE COMMUNITIES’ OWN HANDS; IT HAS EMPOWERED POOR COMMUNITIES TO ORGANIZE THEMSELVES, IDENTIFY COMMON ISSUES AND PRIORITIES, PREPARE PROJECT PROPOSALS AND MANAGE THEIR IMPLEMENTATION. I HAVE VISITED MANY CDD PROJECTS IN PHILIPPINES AND OTHER COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD, AND HAVE WITNESSED THAT A CDD APPROACH REALLY WORKS. WHEN PEOPLE KNOW THAT THEY HAVE CONTROL AND DECISION MAKING POWER OVER THE PROJECT, THEY REALLY TAKE INITIATIVES AND RESPONSIBILITIES, LOOK AFTER FUNDS AND ACCOUNT FOR THEM IN A TRANSPARENT MANNER, AND OWN THE PROJECTS BY TAKING CARE OF THEM EVEN YEARS AFTER PROJECT COMPLETION. THIS IS SOMETIMES NOT THE CASE WHEN PROJECTS WERE BROUGHT IN BY OUTSIDERS WITHOUT CONSULTING OR INVOLVING THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS.