World Bank Mission in 2 Bohol Towns

The World Bank Mission team recently visited the municipalities of Lila and Guindulman, Bohol. These municipalities are among the beneficiaries of the Kapit-Bisig- Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive Integrated Social Delivery of Social Services (Kalahi-CIDSS).

The team composed of Ms. Patricia Fernandez, Malou Padua, and Corrine Canlas conducted a focus group discussion with the community volunteers, barangay and municipal officials and inter-agency committees of each town.

In barangay Catungawan Norte, Guindulman, the team recognized the hard work and commitment of the volunteers to pursue their sub-projects-a day care center, where children are helped in their values formation and socialization and a footbridge. The two (2) projects cost P1,642,800.00.

Project Preparation Team member Juliet Borres said they are thankful that Kalahi-CIDSS came to their place. She said, “We are happy we finished the two sub-projects at the same time.”

The Community was able to do this because of the strong bayanihan spirit of the community folks and their eagerness to see these structures stand in their community to address their needs, especially the children.

In the focus group discussion in barangay Tiguis, Lila, some of the participants were not the community volunteers but are the beneficiaries of the water system sub-project. The group are mostly older women in the barangay. They would have wanted to become volunteers but because of old age, they could not it anymore.

These older women helped their community in other ways. They always participated in barangay assemblies and made sure their voices were heard especially by their sons and daughters who are community volunteers.

As Manang Gervasia Aquiatin, 93 year old, would say “Dili naman mi makahimo kay tiguwang naman, moapil ug maminaw jud mi sa meeting (We could not do the things the volunteers did because we are already old. All we could do was just attend every meeting)”.

The improvement of the water system in Brgy. Tiguis has made their everyday lives easier “sauna lisod kayo kay layo ang kawsan ug tubig, karon dali na nana nas duol (Before, it was to fetch water because the source was far. Now, the water source I already near us)”, added Gervasia.

The Municipalities of Lila and Guindulman are under 377 Modality identified as poor municipalities and are also affected by calamities. They started Kalahi-CIDSS implementation in 2014.

The Kalahi-CIDSS is a poverty alleviation community empowerment program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development and has been consistent in its goals to reach out communities.

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