Climate
Change is a worldwide phenomenon that affects everyone. In order to address
climate change and its adverse effects, collective and global actions were undertaken
through the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)
which the Philippines is a Party to since 1994.
The
Philippines signed the Paris Agreement on Climate Change last February 28, 2017
as its commitment to reduce carbon emission by 70% by 2030.
One
of the country’s commitment is through the intervention of the Department of
Social Welfare and Development in helping communities deal with the impacts of
climate change.
In
2015, the DSWD started providing cash for work to local government
unit-proposed beneficiaries in implementing projects addressing the needs of
communities located in hazard and risk areas vulnerable to the impacts of
climate change through its Risk Resiliency Program – Climate Change Adaptation
and Mitigation (RRP-CCAM) – Disaster Risk Reduction, which is guided by
Administrative Order 15, series of 2008 or the Guidelines for the
Implementation of the Cash-for-Work Project.
RRP-CCAM
aims to create awareness within the participating communities about climate change
adaptation and disaster-risk reduction, and the importance of community
participation in building resilience and strengthening their adaptive
capacities. The program also encourages community participation in implementing
a community defined project related to climate change adaptation, climate risk
reduction that is sustainable in nature.
Through
this program, temporary employment is generated and that it provides income
augmentation to families and/or individuals. It aims to achieve inclusive growth
through the enhancement of the adaptive capacities and resilience of
communities and natural ecosystems by minimizing the impacts of climate and
disaster risks through climate change adaptation, disaster prevention and
preparedness, climate change mitigation and rehabilitation.
The
program is implemented through Cash-for-Work (CFW) which the DSWD shall provide
cash assistance to the beneficiaries equivalent to seventy-five percent (75%)
of the prevailing daily regional wage approved by the Department of Labor and
Employment. The CFW activities shall be implemented for a maximum of ten (10)
days.
Potential
beneficiaries of the RRP-CCAM includes the beneficiaries of the Pantawid
Pamilyang Pilipino Program, those classified as poor under Listahanan – the
national household targeting system of the national government, and those who
are identified as poor and vulnerable households upon assessment, verification,
and validation of the City and Municipal Social Welfare and Development
Offices.
In
Region 10, the DSWD RRP-CCAM is implemented in twenty-six (26) identified Local
Government Units (LGUs) along major river basins, while four (4) Cities and twenty-two
(22) Municipalities with cash for work activities such as tree planting,
mangrove planting and mangrove rehabilitation, communal/organic gardening,
installation of drainage system, dredging of waterways, canal de-clogging and
other activities relative to climate change adaptation, mitigation and disaster
risk reduction.
As of date, there are
11 LGUs who already submitted project proposals and presently implementing cash
for work activity for RRP-CCAM.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Field Office 10 lauded the signing into law of Republic Act 11310 institutionalizing the government’s flagship poverty reduction program known as the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program or 4Ps.
4Ps is an investment in human capital which seeks to break the intergenerational cycle of poverty by focusing on education and health of the beneficiaries. It provides conditional cash transfer to poor households around the country. It is being implemented by DSWD, in partnership with other government agencies, such as the Department of Health (DOH), Department of Education (DepEd), and Commission on Higher Education (CHED), among others.
DSWD Field Office 10 Regional Director Mari-Flor A. Dollaga-Libang emphasized that the signing of the law is the realization of the long time clamor of beneficiaries to make the program regular and permanent.
It can be recalled that beneficiaries expressed their apprehensions that the benefits they are receiving from 4Ps might be stopped if the program will not be institutionalized. It is also important to mention that they played a role in achieving this feat by lobbying for the institutionalization of the program.
For her part, Kenneth Haze Sanchez-Lustre, Regional Project Coordinator, disclosed that with RA 11310, the continuity and sustainability of the program can be assured. The law makes the program more robust by prioritizing farmers and fisher folks, strengthening livelihood and employment opportunities for beneficiaries, ensuring civil society organizations’ seats in the advising councils, and providing automatic coverage to PhilHealth.
Sanchez added that the law will further boost its goal of helping poor families achieve a better quality of life, thereby, contributing to the reduction of poverty incidence to 14 percent by 2022, as set by the present administration.
4Ps milestones
Since its inception in 2008, 4Ps has achieved several milestones in the areas of poverty reduction, health, and education.
The National Economic Development Authority (NEDA), in its launch of the 2015 Official Poverty Statistics said, “One of the major factors in this improvement of poverty reduction is the increased budget in government’s social development programs, which significantly augmented the income of the poorest households… The regularity of the cash transfer sustained for three years for many CCT beneficiaries has accorded them some resiliency to weather certain shocks. The program also induced more economic activity in the poor barangays given the presence of a cash economy. These conditions may have also encouraged a number of them to diversify their livelihood sources.”
Moreover, in its 2017 Socio-Economic Report, NEDA stated that, “By far, the most comprehensive program to address […] vulnerability is the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps). This program needs to be sustained and even enhanced.”
Furthermore, the World Bank in its 2018 assessment of poverty in the Philippines (Making Growth Work for the Poor) reported that “transfers from government social programs [CCT] contributed about 25 percent of the [reduction in poverty incidence between 2006 and 2015.”]
Likewise, impact evaluations on the program done and completed in 2012 and 2014 showed that the program can break the intergenerational cycle of poverty. It aids those families who experience poverty trap of being poor because they have no decent jobs or undereducated and sickly.
Based on the two impact studies, the program has positive effects on education and health of children and pregnant women.
The studies showed that program beneficiaries have higher enrolment and attendance rates and lower drop-outs as compared to non-beneficiaries.
As regard to the impact on the beneficiaries health, have increased availment of basic health services and reduced severe stunting especially to children from 6 months to 3 years old. The impact studies also showed that more pregnant women availed of maternal health services and an increased delivery in accredited birthing facilities, as compared to those who are not covered by the program.
Also, since 2015, the program has paved the way for almost 1 million children-beneficiaries to compete high school and more than 30,000 to graduate from college.
As of March 31, 2019, the program covers 41,552 barangays in all 145 cities and 1,483 municipalities in 80 provinces nationwide with 4.18 million active households. Northern Mindanao has a total of 260,663 beneficiaries as of this writing.
Jeraline Arion, DSWD Kalahi-CIDSS BSPMC Chairperson of Barangay Palacpacan, San Fernando, Bukidnon, performs during the Regional Community Volunteers’ Congress in Cagayan de Oro City, March 27, 2018.
Barangay
Palacpacan is an isolated barangay of the Municipality of San Fernando,
Bukidnon. The road is difficult to access especially during the rainy season.
Most of the residents of the barangay are people of the Matigsalug Tribe.
Like
the other tribes in Bukidnon, most of the lumads are given less priority from
the government projects that would uplift them for a better life.
This
is because they have minimal support and most have no access to basic social
services within their communities. With this, the only priority they have is to
eat and survive.
Women paid laborers of Barangay Palacpacan, San Fernando, Bukidnon sack aggregates for delivery to the sub-project site.
Time
passes and now some of the government agencies are now reaching and responding
to address the needs in the community.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is among the various agencies of the government that help address the development of Indigenous Peoples, providing them basic social services. Among the myriad of programs is the Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (Kalahi-CIDSS) National Community-Driven Development Program (NCDDP). The Department is led by Secretary Rolando Joselito D. Bautista, a retired general of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
390 Meter Barangay Palacpacan Road Concreting Along Purok 1, San Fernando, Bukidnon.
“The
Filipino practice of mutual cooperation or bayanihan
system is already embedded in the innermost of our being as Filipinos. This is
more exemplified in the relentless contribution of our community volunteers in
almost all facets of services to the poor and needy. Our staff and community
volunteers on the ground have been our indispensable partners to the effective
implementation of the Kalahi-CIDSS program,” the Secretary said.
Jeraline
Arion is the Barangay Sub-Project Management Committee Chairperson (BSPMC) of
Barangay Palacpacan, who strives to help the community by participating in
government programs provide basic social services and empower the communities.
Jeraline
is a Matigsalug and an active Parent Leader of the Pantawid Pamilya Pilipino
Program (4Ps) and Sustainable Livelihood Program Association (SLPA) leader.
Jeraline
Arion says “Daghan kaayo kog natun-an sa
programa sa DSWD Kalahi-CIDSS, dili lamang ang katungod nga magpartisipar sa
kalambuan sa Barangay kun dili apil usab nga gitagaan kaming mga Lumad og
higayon nga magpartisipar sa programa bisag wala kami nakahuman og eskwela
(I learned a lot from the Kalahi-CIDSS program, not just having the right to
participate in Barangay development, also, we, the Lumad people are given the
opportunity to participate in the program even if we have not finished any
degree)”
For
her, DSWD Kalahi-CIDSS is the first government program that gave opportunities
to the Lumad people in handling the processes of the activities and giving them
the power of decision making.
Through
the Kalahi-CIDSS, Jeraline felt that she and her Lumad community now have the
voice through the program.
Barangay Sub-project Management Committee (BSPMC) of Barangay Palacpacan working on the aggregates.
The DSWD
Kalahi-CIDSS is a program under the DSWD that empowers communities. The program
uses Community-Driven Development (CDD) as an approach to let the communities
identify problems, use available resources, and decide solutions to help the
community in order to have access of good basic social services.
The
communities are given the opportunities to voice out their needs in the
barangay by participating in the local development processes with the help of
the non-government organizations, Local Government Units, Area Coordinating
Teams (ACT), Sub-Regional Project Management Team (SRMPT), and Regional Project
Management Team (RPMT) to ensure that they become actively involved in the
local processes.
“Dili sayon gayud nga mahimong leader sa
Kalahi kay kaming mga Lumad wala na-anad magpadayag sa kadaghanan, kay kabalo
kami nga wala kami grado nga ikapaghinambog pero tungod sa mga meetings ug
trainings sa Kalahi ug pagdumala sa sub-project namo nga Farm-to-Market Road
nadasig ako og taas na akong paglantaw sa akong kaugalingon karon kaysa sa una
(It is not easy being a Kalahi leader, as we the Lumad people are not used to
addressing a lot of people, because we know that we do not have educational
degrees to boast for, but because of the meetings and trainings provided by
Kalahi and the implementation of our Farm-to-Market Road sub-project – I am now
enthusiastic and I now have high regard for myself as compared before)” says
Jeraline.
This
inspired her to continue schooling and graduate from the K-12 program of the
Department of Education (DepEd) at the Halapitan National High School, San
Fernando, Bukidnon.
Jeraline
draws inspiration from the Kalahi-CIDSS community empowerment and gender
equality perspective of the program “kasagara
kaming mga babaeng lumad sige ra’g burosan sa among mga bana, ibilin ra sa
balay ipagbantay og bata, usahay pasakitan pa, pero dili tanang Lumad, og mao
ra gyud ang among mabuhat isip mga babae, pero dire sa Kalahi-CIDSS gitagaan
kami og bili ug importansiya nga naay daghan nga mga butang nga kaya sa mga
babae dili lang ang mga lalake (usually, we, the Lumad women, are just
being impregnated by our husbands, left in the house to care for the children,
and may be hurt at times – but not all Lumads, and that is all we could do as
women, but here in Kalahi-CIDSS we are given value and importance, that there
are a lot of things that women can do equally as men do)” Jeraline said.
The
program requires women to participate every activity especially during
Sub-Project construction of at least 30% of the labor force in order to promote
gender equality and importance.
The
implementation of DSWD Kalahi-CIDSS in Barangay Palacpacan is not without
challenges, “Pasalamat mi kay taas kaayo
og pasensiya ang among facilitator sa pagtudlo sa amo unsaon paghimo sa mga
minutes, pagprepare sa payroll ug bayronon sa mga materyales, pag-inventory sa
materyales ug uban pang butang. Bisag lisod kami pasab-ton tungod kay walay
nahuman sa pagskwela apan sa among mga kasaypanan wala kami nagmahay kay daghan
kamig natun-an sa programa og nabati namo mga Lumad nga kabahin kami sa
pagpalambo sa among barangay (we are thankful that our community
empowerment facilitator is very patient in teaching us how to draft the minutes
of the meetings, payroll preparation, payment and inventory for construction
materials and other things. Even if we are very difficult to teach since do not
have any formal education, we do not regret being in the Kalahi program. It is
here that we Lumad women felt that we can contribute to the progress of our
barangay)” Jeraline said.
The
program is a good venue for learning different skills such as financial
management, Environmental and Social Safeguards, Social Development,
Construction Management, Basic Legal Documents, and other things that may help
the Lumad community to educate themselves and to boost their confidence.
According to the community, the DSWD Kalahi-CIDSS is a blessing to Palacpacan and San Fernando especially to the Lumad people. The Lumad community is given the opportunity through the support of the DSWD and local government units that help them grow and be part of nation building. Jeraline is hoping that the program will continue to help not only the Lumad people but also for those community or tribe who has been left behind that needs support to achieve a better and humane society.
Written by Nico B. Capistrano, Former DSWD-10 Kalahi-CIDSS Community Empowerment Facilitator
A DSWD worker picks up relief goods from a DSWD truck in preparation for the distribution of the family food packs for the fire victims.
Cagayan de Oro City — The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Field Office 10 here has provided aids to the families affected by a recent fire in Purok Matinabangon, Barangay Ubaldo Laya, Iligan City, some 90.6 kilometers off west of here.
This is an augmentation support to the Local Government Unit of Iligan City.
DSWD Field Office 10 provided 195 hygiene kits, 195 kitchen kits, 195 blankets, 195 malong, and 195 mosquito nets and three family food packs for each of the reported 195 families whose houses were razed off by fire on Wednesday afternoon, May 29, 2019.
DSWD workers prepare for the distribution of the family food packs for the fire victims.
DSWD Undersecretary for operations, Aimee S. Torrefranca-Neri and DSWD Field Office 10 Regional Director Mari-Flor Dollaga-Libang supervised the relief distribution.
As initial response, the LGU has provided food packs and sleeping kits while some private groups gave relief assistance to the fire survivors. Other offices and national government agencies also responded and supported the victimized families like Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Health, and Office of Senator Bong Go.
DSWD 10 Regional Director Mari-Flor A. Dollaga-Libang (right) speaks with Ms. Grace Saquilabon, Head of the City Social Welfare and Development Office of Iligan City regarding the DSWD’s assistance to the LGU in response to the victims.
Under the leadership of Secretary Rolando Joselito Bautista, DSWD ensures that families who are victimized by various calamities such as armed conflict and natural disasters are given immediate response, and that their rights are protected while disaster operations are going on.
The homeless survivors are temporarily staying at the barangay covered court in Matinabangon, where the distribution of DSWD assistance took place.
Written by Oliver B. Inodeo, Information Officer of Pantawid Pamilya