TALIBON, Bohol, Philippines — The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is ready to re-launch its Kapit Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (KALAHI-CIDSS) in the provinces of Bohol and Siquijor following the launching of its Makamasang Tugon approach.

Beneficiary-towns of KALAHI-CIDSS will use a local government unit (LGU)-facilitated modality known as Makamasang Tugon, a community-driven development-local planning process designed to ensure the sustainability of the program.

Bohol Provincial Governor Edgardo Chatto together with the municipal mayors, vice mayors, and municipal representatives from the 12 identified municipal beneficiaries in the province and two others in Siquijor expressed their full support by participating in the project launching activity held separately at the Talibon Cultural Center and at Siquijor’s Capital Square.

The 12 beneficiary towns in Bohol include Danao, Bein Unido, Buenavista, Gatafe, Talibon, Ubay, San Miguel, Carmen, Pilar, Mabini, Carlos P. Garcia, and Trinidad, while Villanueva and Siquijor are the other beneficiaries in region.

Meanwhile, in his speech during the re-launch of said program, Chatto said he is throwing his full support on the re-implementation of KALAHI-CIDSS, as he said, he believes “this will significantly address the widening gap of the rich and poor sectors of the community.”

He also lauded the DSWD’s initiative to invite all barangay chairmen from the participating barangays in the project re-launch activity and challenged all participants to do their part in helping the project achieve its goals.

“Let us empower our communities and create developmental undertakings suitable to the needs of the citizens,” he said.

Meanwhile, the project launching activity in Bohol and Siquijor highlighted the Awarding of Notice to Proceed and the Commitment Signing Ceremony.

The said event urged officials in beneficiary municipalities to begin implementing the KALAHI-CIDSS process as soon as members of their Municipal Coordinating Team completed the required technical training.

Also, in the Commitment Signing Ceremony, provincial and municipal leaders were asked to affix their signatures on their respective seals as a symbol of their full commitment to the project.

KALAHI-CIDSS was first established in 2003 and has already embraced a total of 4,583 barangays in 200 towns all over the country.