THE Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) celebrated the 20th anniversary of its premier community empowerment program, the Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (KALAHI-CIDSS).

KALAHI-CIDSS is a program that uses the Community-Driven Development (CDD) approach to reduce poverty and promote empowerment and community volunteerism.

In his message, DSWD Sec. Rex Gatchalian expressed gratitude to the people for their support of the program which actively involves community members in fostering inclusive local governance by encouraging their participation in identifying and implementing development programs.

Launched in 2003, these initiatives are specifically tailored to address the unique needs of their community and enhance their access to essential services.

The milestone event, banners the theme, “Sandiwaan” or interconnection.

“Sandiwaan unveils the intricate interconnections woven into the fabric of our society, particularly within the context of KALAHI-CIDSS. It recognizes that the experiences, challenges, and opportunities faced by individuals within the KALAHI-CIDSS framework are not isolated. They are part of a larger, interconnected web. This interdependence signifies that the progress of our communities resonates across the entire network, emphasizing the ripple effect of our collective actions,” Gatchalian said.

“In embracing Sandiwaan, KALAHI-CIDSS recognizes that the strength of the whole is derived from the vitality of its parts. It emphasizes the need for collaborative efforts and shared responsibility in sustaining the positive impact of community-driven development,” he added.

The program recognized CDD champions composed of local chief executives, legislators, development partners, community volunteers, and former DSWD key officials, including the late DSWD Secretary Corazon Juliano-Soliman, represented by her son Sandino Soliman.

As of October 2023, KALAHI-CIDSS has completed more than 76,000 community sub-projects, engaged more than 2.4 million community volunteers, and reached more than 22 million households since the program’s inception.

KALAHI-CIDSS is currently engaging with stakeholders and policy-makers to institutionalize the CDD strategy in local development and governance processes.

The DSWD was among the top-performing government agencies. It was ranked Top 2 in the third quarter Tugon ng Masa survey conducted by the OCTA Research from September 30 to October 4.

Based on the latest OCTA survey, the DSWD rating is 75 percent, next to the Department of Education (DepEd) which posted a rating of 80 percent.

Also in the Top 5 list of performing agencies are the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), the Department of Health (DOH), and the Commission on Higher Education (CHED).

“On behalf of the entire DSWD under the leadership of Secretary Rex Gatchalian, I would like to express my sincerest gratitude to all Filipinos for recognizing the efforts of the DSWD in uplifting the lives of the poor and vulnerable sectors,” DSWD Assistant Secretary for Strategic Communications Romel Lopez said.

In the same survey, the DSWD was also among the Top 5 trusted government agencies.

With a rating of 73 percent, the DSWD was 5th in the list together with the DepEd as the most trusted agency, followed by CHED, DPWH, and DOH.

“With these favorable ratings, the DSWD vows to further improve and innovate our systems and processes to provide quality and efficient services to the people we serve,” Lopez added.