Cagayan de Oro Second District Representative Rufus B. Rodriguez and Abante Mindanao (ABAMIN) party-list representative Maximo B. Rodriguez, Jr.have filed House Bills No. 1943 and 1248, respectively, both aimed at advancing the passage of the Community-Driven Development (CDD) bill in the 20th Congress.

In recognition of their efforts, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)-10, headed by Regional Director Glofelia J. Uayan, paid a courtesy visit to personally express their gratitude to the two legislators.

“It is high time to make CDD into a law; we are very glad to have Cong. Rufus and Cong. Maxi as our advocates in the Congress,” Director Uayan said.

The bill draws from an existing DSWD program— the Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan—Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (KALAHI-CIDSS).

Rooted in a CDD framework, KALAHI-CIDSS aims to bolster local development through community-led planning, financial management, procurement, project implementation, and sustainability measures.

Once enacted into law, the adoption of the CDD strategy would extend beyond the DSWD. All government agencies would be required to adopt CDD in their community-based programs.

Following Typhoon Sendong in 2011, KALAHI-CIDSS implemented an urban-CDD initiative in Cagayan de Oro, providing livelihood skills training to residents of Barangay Puntod and Lapasan as part of the city’s recovery efforts.

Congressman Rodriguez expressed his full backing for the measure.

“Anything that serves the good of our people, we will surely and wholeheartedly support,” he said.

Rodriguez also committed to expediting the bill’s endorsement to move it forward in the legislative process, with deliberations expected to proceed before the Committee on Ways and Means.