Despite the small space of the barangay hall of Abaga, Baloi, Lanao del Norte, residents showed interest and eagerness to participate in the community consultation assembly.  

Community-driven development refers to an emerging approach in community development practice where processes, principles, strategies and resources are applied to ensure community empowerment by giving the people authority and control over decisions and resources. In the Philippines this process is adapted through the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Kapit Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services – National Community Driven Development (Kalahi CIDSS-NCDDP).

Kalahi CIDSS-NCDDP Area Coordinator of Baloi, Nelsa Dicay, enthused that Barangay Abaga residents were eager to hear the feedback from the Municipal Inter-Barangay Forum (MIBF) Participatory Resource Allocation (PRA) – “8:30 sa buntag naa na mi sa area, okay na ang venue – ready na, og five minutes after naa na tanan participante sa assembly ug naminaw gyud sila (we arrived in the area around 8:30 in the morning, the venue was ready, and five minutes after, the participants already arrived and they really listened and participated during the assembly.

The MIBF serves as the venue for the processing of experiences and feelings brought about by project prioritization and other activities. It is also one of the venues for the resolution of complaints; grievance related to the violation of policies, principles and implementation guidelines of the The MIBF-PRA is an activity where the community formulates the criteria to be used in the ranking of barangay sub-projects as well as procedures, guidelines, mechanics of the ranking.

The prioritized sub-project in Barangay Abaga is the Farm to Market Road along Purok 2 stretching a distance of approximately 2 kilometers and this is in partnership with the Barangay Local Government Unit of Abaga, Baloi, Lanao del Norte. Abaga is categorized under the “new” NCDDP areas, thus maximum community participation is encouraged

The Kalahi-CIDSS Project is a poverty alleviation undertaking that seeks to apply the emergent approaches that were proven to be effective in community development work though the community driven development mindset.

Written by Shaun Alejandrae Yap Uy, DSWD, with reports from Nelsa P. Dicay, Kalahi-CIDSS Area Coordinator, Baloi, Lanao del Norte