A poverty alleviation project implemented by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has already disbursed US$90.4 million of its fund from World Bank for the delivery of various social services to the local communities in the country.

The Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (KALAHI-CIDSS) boasted of a high disbursement rate, based on the 2009 World Bank Portfolio Review presented recently.

According to the report, as of June 30, the program already disbursed US$90.4 million of its US$100 fund allocation from the World Bank.

KALAHI-CIDSS is President Arroyo’s flagship anti-poverty project that started in 2002.

A pilot project was conducted in Dolores, Quezon in 2002.

In 2003, the program started its full-scale phase 1 implementation in 201 barangays located in 11 municipalities, in the country’s 11 provinces.

To date, the project is conducted in 4,229 barangays in 184 municipalities in 42 provinces.

DSWD Secretary Esperanza Cabral said the program’s high disbursement of funds rendered more sub-projects such as water systems, schools, and health centers.

Cabral also said the high disbursement means that “communities have meticulously complied with the required attachments of their requests for fund release.”

She explained that attachments include the program of work with detailed estimates, procurement action plan and other technical documents.

“This is one of the indicators that KALAHI-CIDSS has been effective in teaching the poorest communities to accomplish and comply with very tedious requirements,” Cabral said.