DILG, DSWD ink partnership in PODER Anti-Poverty Projects

Sunday 12th of August 2012

BUTUAN CITY, Aug. 9 (PIA) -- To reduce poverty incidence in Caraga Region, the regional offices of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) with the Municipality of San Agustin, Surigao del Sur signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) to implement PODER 7, an anti-poverty project funded by Agencia Española Cooperacion Internacional para el Desarrollo (AECID).

The MOA was signed after the project launching and municipal orientation in Surigao del Sur on July 23, 2012. Part of the event was the installation of the Municipal Area Coordinating Team for the project implementation.

Based on the agreement, DSWD will be responsible for allocating funds for the municipality to support the project implementation and conduct the monitoring and evaluation; and the DILG, through its municipal local government operations officer will be responsible for providing capacity building, training and coaching to the municipality concerned in good governance processes and systems. The DILG is also tasked to provide policy guidelines to the municipality as may be necessary to support the project implementation.

DILG Director Lilibeth A. Famacion said: “Recipients of this project should aim for project completion and those barangays whose proposals are not prioritized should give way to other project proposals which are more necessary to reduce the poverty incidence in the given area."

DSWD Director Mercedita P. Jabagat said proposed projects submitted by Punong Barangays will undergo a prioritization system.“Those projects which are highly significant for a certain barangay based on the dire need of the community and which will answer the identified problem in the area will be prioritized."

On the other hand, Mayor Honolulu Go of San Agustin signified his commitment in providing technical assistance for the end goal, which is the project completion. Mayor Go said that the municipality will provide support in a form of cash fund as a municipal counterpart to ensure that the implementation will run smoothly. In the MOA, it is provided that the LGU of San Agustin shall deposit the said counterpart to the Municipal Trust Fund Account intended solely for the whole project implementation.

PODER, short term for Poder y Prosperidad de la Comunidad involves a participatory and criteria-based project implementation. PODER 7 is anchored in “Strengthening Community Involvement to Sustain Poverty Reduction Program” (SCISPRP). This anti-poverty project is part of President Benigno Simeon Aguino III’s advocacy towards “Bayang Maunlad”. (NCLM/Florian Faith Jr. P. Bayawa, DILG-13/PIA-Caraga)