In a significant step towards enhancing disaster preparedness and community resilience, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Field Office Caraga, through the Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan – Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (KALAHI-CIDSS), inaugurated a new evacuation center in Brgy. Ferdinand, Loreto, Dinagat Islands on October 30, 2024. The project, valued at Php6,565,324.17, aims to support families displaced by natural disasters in this typhoon-prone area.
Funded through the KALAHI – CIDSS Kapangyarihan at Kaunlaran sa Barangay (KC KKB BP2P) modality, the new facility is set to benefit 56 families, including 23 households under the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps). Completed on July 25, 2024, after construction began on December 4, 2023, the evacuation center features dedicated areas for evacuees, a couples’ room, isolation room, clinic, daycare room, mothers’ room, kitchen, laundry area, storage, toilets, and a water storage tank, all designed to provide a safe and functional space during times of crisis.
A Safe Haven for Typhoon-Prone Dinagat Islands
Dinagat Islands, one of the areas most severely affected by Typhoon Odette, is particularly vulnerable to strong storms. Typhoon Odette alone left over 34,000 families affected and more than 14,500 homes completely destroyed, underscoring the urgent need for facilities like this evacuation center. The new center will offer shelter during emergencies such as typhoons and earthquakes and will serve as a central point for distributing aid, rebuilding materials, and resources necessary for recovery.
The center is designed to be a community hub as well, offering a venue for local meetings, training, and community forums, further supporting local resilience efforts.
Empowering Communities, Transforming Lives
KALAHI-CIDSS Deputy National Program Manager for Operations, Director Rolando Villacorta, emphasized the impact of community-driven development. “To our community volunteers and local officials, thank you for showing the true spirit of Community-Driven Development,” said Villacorta. “Under the KALAHI – CIDSS, we aim to empower people to take the lead, and you have proven that when people come together with a common goal, nothing is impossible.”
Community volunteer and Barangay Development Council – Technical Working Group (BDC-TWG) Chairperson Marites Jumamoy expressed her gratitude for the learning opportunity. “Even though I didn’t know anything about construction before, I now have at least a little knowledge of what needs to be done. I encourage my team to attend meetings and training to learn,” Jumamoy shared.
KALAHI-CIDSS: Building Resilience Through Community-Driven Development
KALAHI-CIDSS is a DSWD program that uses a community-driven approach to ensure that development is inclusive, empowering people to take an active role in decision-making. By providing assistance, capacity-building, and support to disaster-prone and impoverished areas, the program fosters sustainable, people-centered development. Through initiatives like the Brgy. Ferdinand evacuation center, KALAHI-CIDSS continues to empower communities to become more resilient and capable of addressing challenges, building a safer future for Dinagat Islands and beyond.
