BAGUIO CITY – The Department of Social Welfare and Development in Cordillera (DSWD-Cordillera) is seeking funds for projects that will benefit far-flung communities in the highland region, especially schools, day-care centers, and footpaths leading to mountain communities.
“Actually, there are a lot of projects that were funded, but there are still projects that need to be funded, especially for far-flung communities,” DSWD-Cordillera acting regional director Janet Armas told the Philippine News Agency (PNA) on Monday.
The DSWD’s 14-year project called Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan- Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (KALAHI-CIDSS) will come to an end but a number of projects remain unfunded.
“In Cordillera, infrastructure is one of the things we lack, especially on accessibility (roads), the equipment for the production of products of micro and small enterprises, schools, and day care centers,” she said.
Armas said based on the accomplishment report of the KALAHI-CIDSS project since its inception in 2004, a total of 501 projects amounting to PHP706 million have been funded and completed.
Among the unfunded projects is the construction of seven day-care centers in three provinces, with a total cost of PHP5.6 million.
The DSWD hopes to help the towns of Dolores, Peñarrubia, and San Juan in Abra province, Mayoyao in Ifugao, and at the towns of Barlig, Sagada, and Tadian in Mountain Province, she said.
Last week, the DSWD-Cordillera conducted a funders forum to invite national line agencies, private organizations, and corporations to help finance the projects for the region’s grassroots.
“We have informed the different municipalities that it would not be easy to procure budget for their proposals, but we would like to assure them that government agencies and the private sector are working hand in hand in providing the necessary assistance for them,” Armas said.
She said the identified communities are willing to wait and repackage their project proposals to be considered by other funders. (Pamela Mariz Geminiano/PNA)
