CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) recently held a Regional Community Volunteers’ Congress and Bayani Ka! Awards to gather Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (KALAHI-CIDSS) stakeholders and recognize exemplary volunteers, groups, and partners

The Volunteers’ Congress is the biggest gathering of KALAHI-CIDSS stakeholders in the implementation of Community-Driven Development (CDD) in Region 10.

Mary Nathalie D. Soldevilla, Social Marketing Officer III, KALAHI-CIDSS, shared that the program has utilized community-driven development, where the main actors of development are the community volunteers in the localities.

“Very important ang Community-Driven Development sa DSWD, kay giila nato nga atong mga katawhan adunay gahum sa kalambuan, naa sila’y tingog, ang ilang tahas sa kalambuan dako kaayo gyud. At the same time, partnerships sa atong local government units [The Community Driven Development of DSWD is very important because we acknowledge that the people to have the power to contribute to development, they have a voice, and their task for development is huge. At the same time, partnerships with local government units],” she said.

The Bayani Ka! Awards, the highest honor the program bestows on CDD champions, are a component of the activity that includes recognizing exceptional volunteers, groups, and partners.

Aljie M. Mercader, Kadingilan, Bukidnon, Outstanding Volunteer, shared she did not expect to receive such an award.

“Dako kaayo akong pasalamat sa KALAHI-CIDSS, nga tungod sa KALAHI-CIDSS na-educate ko, na-nurture akong knowledge. Na haw-as mi sa kalisod. Dili lang ako kun dili among komunidad [I am super grateful to KALAHI-CIDSS, that because of KALAHI-CIDSS I am educated and my knowledge is nurtured. We were lifted from poverty. Not only me but our community],” she said.

Meanwhile, the Bayani Ka! Awards also recognized Butadon Solar Dryer with Warehouse and Ricemill Association (BUSODWARA) in Kapatagan, Lanao del Norte, as Outstanding Community Organization and Community Services.

The group said that they started with nothing, and in fact, they loaned their capital for operations. It was only after three years that they gained higher income.

“Ang amo lang gibuhat is to serve the community [What we did is to serve the community],” he said. (JMOR/PIA-10)