Rizal, Kalinga- The Gains of CIDSS in Action

by Alvin C. Tanicala, CIDSS Writer

The last time the province of Kalinga was in the glare of publicity was in 1975.  The province gained prominence when the people of Kalinga, composed of the various indigenous tribes, opposed the construction of the Chico Valley Hydroelectric Dam project being initiated by the government. Their firm resistance to the project demonstrated their strong resolve in protecting their villages, the rice terraces and their sacred burial grounds that were threatened with submersion.  

Today, it is again distinguished for having been adjudged as the best CIDSS municipality in Cordillera this year.

One of the government’s priority anti-poverty alleviation programs is the Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (CIDSS).  As one of the Presidential Flagship Programs, CIDSS was given “presidential protection” against budget cuts to allow it to expand its service delivery to all fifth and sixth class municipalities.  The program started in 1994 with 275 municipalities and has now expanded to 1,042 municipalities and an additional number of urban poor communities and municipalities in third and fourth-class localities.

The Province

Kalinga is one of the six provinces of the Cordillera and is one of the two youngest provinces in the region, having been “born” only in 1995 - with the province of Apayao.

The provinces of Kalinga and Apayao used to be one province- Kalinga-Apayao.  However, through Republic Act 7878 authored by Congressman K.U. Bulut on February 14 1995, the two were separated to form distinct and independent provinces.

Kalinga and Apayao share similar geographical characteristics-landlocked by Cagayan to the north and east, by Isabela on the east, by Abra and Ilocos Norte to the west and by the Mountain Province to the south.

The province occupies about 3,164.4 sq. km. of land with eight (8) municipalities namely Balbalan, Lubuagan, Pasil Punukpuk, Tanudan, Tinglayan, Tabuk and Rizal (Liwan).  Rizal (Liwan) is the smallest in terms of land area, occupying only 177.5 sq. km.

The People

It is assumed that the ancestors of the present-day Kalingas were the Indonesian immigrants who came thousands of years ago.  The name Kalinga is believed to be derived from the Ibanag and Gaddang term which means “head-hunter”. 

During tribal conflicts, head hunting was considered a tribesman’s mark of valor.  Warriors that came back from battles with a human head were exalted as heroes by their tribe.  This act also entitles the warrior to tattoos - markings that command respect of the men folk and the admiration of the women in the tribe.  These warriors are called “mingols” and they enjoy a high status in the community

Kalinga's also enjoy the reputation of having the most colorful native attire adorned with ornaments made from fossils of hunted wild animals.

The Municipality

Liwan was recognized as a municipality on June 19, 1965 under RA 4396 and was once a district of Tabuk, the capital town of the province.  It was renamed Rizal on June 19,1971 under RA 6183.

Community Development and CIDSS

CIDSS was introduced in the municipality of Rizal in April 1999.  Rizal, being classified as a 5^th class municipality under the Department of Finance’s classification of 1993.  In one year and five months, using the CIDSS approach (following the four phases of: social preparation of families and communities, capability building, accessing of social services and monitoring and evaluation) the three identified CIDSS barangays were able to reduce their unmet minimum basic needs to 39.70%.  This was the result of convergent efforts and resources of the partner agencies that poured in various social development initiatives in the municipality.

The CIDSS Gains – Overview

The adoption and implementation of CIDSS started in two barangays – Kinama and San Francisco.  A year later, barangay Santor was added as an expansion area.  It is worth noting that, in addition to the three barangays, Congressman Laurence B. Wacnang has adopted the CIDSS approach in barangay Romualdez, and is now being funded  through the Community Development Fund of the congressional representative.

The following  factors facilitated  the gains from CIDSS:

First, the full support of the local chief executive and the close coordination with the local government units in providing counterparts to social welfare projects.  Also the purposeful collaboration in different phases: from social preparation to program implementation/accessing of social services, as proven in the Local Chief Executive’s periodic consultations, conferences and monitoring visits in target barangays.

Second, the consistent and innovative merging of resources, expertise and skills in response to the unmeet needs identified.  The barangays of  Kinama and San Francisco, the CIDSS stakeholders and the community regularly verify how to help realize the community development plans.  

A paradigm of convergence can be found in barangay San Francisco where the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Health (DOH), Department of Education, Culture and Sports (DECS), Armed Forces of  the Philippines, Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the local government units work together to address basic health, education and livelihood needs.

Third, the commitment and dedication of the CIDSS workers who had been very persistent, sincere and consistent in their mobilizing the community  to act on their concerns and bridge them to other inter-agency groups and partner organizations.

Fourth, the people undergoing methodical training on CIDSS as an approach and process in social preparation like: conduct of program orientations, training of community leaders and volunteers; conduct of the MBN surveys, consolidation, analysis, data presentation, problem identification and prioritization; establishment of neighborhood clusters and community assemblies to formulate their neighborhood development plans and their community development plans.  

The Municipal Inter-Agency Committee (MIAC) who also informed the community of other existing government programs and services and how to access these for community development attended these activities.

Fifth, the active contribution of the community welfare structures under alliance with the barangay officials in leading the people in development initiatives.  The community themselves do the planning, preparation, management, monitoring and evaluation of community projects.

CIDSS in the Barangays

Except for barangay Santor, access to barangays San Francisco and Kinama are difficult.  The barangays can be reached only during the dry season.  Motorcycles and four wheeled motorized vehicles can traverse the rough terrain.  However, during the rainy seasons it becomes impassable.  The community can only be reached after a 15-kilometer hike from the highway.

Part of the community gains was due to the adoption of the CIDSS strategies.  The access road to these two barangays were widened and graveled through CIDSS.  Although it is still demanding, the road is accessible most of the time.

San Francisco

Barangay San Francisco became a self-governing barangay only in 1981, through the efforts of Balitnang Baligod, a local elder.  Balitnang Baligod urged the people in the community to unite and lobby for the creation of a barrio.  Seeing the advantage, the people petitioned the authorities.  The request was granted on July 15, 1981 and the barangay was named after the owner of the land - Francisco Agliuam.

In 1986, during the insurgency, the community in San Francisco was forced to evacuate near the Moleg River.  Hard times were experienced.  However, with the help of the Philippine Army, the local government units and Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), the evacuees were given relief goods and other forms of assistance.

Development started pouring-in in 1994.  Through community efforts the people were able to ward off rebel intrusions resulting in the construction of a school building, a multi-purpose pavement, a multi-purpose hall, a farm-to-market-road and various livelihood programs.  However, these were not enough to meet the people’s basic needs for an improved quality of life.

In 1999, the CIDSS approach was adopted in the barangay.  The community displayed their collective efforts through the creation of their Barangay Inter-Agency Committees (BIAC) and Community Welfare Structures (CWS) to facilitate development in their community.  

By supporting the different development programs under the CIDSS, the people learned what empowerment was.  Under the convergence policy of EO 443, the community together with the CIDSS stakeholders, were able to introduce development programs in the forms of: spring development, sanitary toilets construction, supplemental feedings, mother’s classes, deworming sessions, drainage canal construction, literary cum livelihood programs, educational assistance, day care center construction, Tulong Ayos Bahay- a shelter assistance program, leadership trainings and a farm to market road construction. 

Since April 1999, the barangay was able to implement Ps.. 1,055,587.75 worth of development projects benefiting about 397 individuals.  The unmet minimum basic needs was reduced to 43.48%!

Kinama

The name of the barangay was taken from an indigenous material abundantly found in the area called kama.  Kama is a bamboo species commonly used as housing materials.  It is also known as boho.  The barangay was established in 1968.

Due to the inaccessibility of the place, development efforts were hampered thus delaying the improvement of the community.  The insurgency problem compounded the deteriorating conditions in the 1980’s.  The present cluster of houses in the community was formerly an evacuation center during the height of the rebellion.

A bridge and a farm-to-market-road were opened but these were only useful during the summer.  Transporting their farm products has become a problem thus aggravating their already critical economic situation.

In 1999, the CIDSS was requested to enter the barangay.  Seeing the benefits of adopting the CIDSS approach, the village also demonstrated their cooperative efforts through their establishment of a Barangay Inter-Agency Committee (BIAC) and various Community Welfare Structures (CWS) to be used as a sustaining institution for the various development programs under the CIDSS.  In the convergence policy, the community as one with the CIDSS stakeholders, were able to initiate the following development efforts of:  spring development, sanitary toilets construction, supplemental feedings, mother’s classes, deworming sessions, drainage canal construction, literacy cum livelihood programs, various educational assistance, Tulong Ayos Bahay – a shelter assistance program, leadership trainings and a farm-to-market-road construction. 

From the time CIDSS entered the barangay, the community was able to get Ps.. 7,049,028.75 to fund development projects serving about 555 individuals. The Unmet Minimum Basic Needs was reduced to 35.93% as well.

Santor

Barangay Santor is claimed to be the oldest barangay in the municipality.  It is surrounded by agricultural and pasture lands.  The barangay is a melting pot of various ethnic tribes.

Since barangay Santor is an expansion area, development interventions have not been implemented fully.  However, the community has drawn up development plans through their community development plan.  The following are the planned development interventions for the barangay:  daycare center construction,  Tulong Ayos  Bahay, rehabilitation of water systems, development of an irrigation system, construction of a barangay hall, trainings  and cash assistance for crisis situations.

Total funds will amount to PhP13,490,000.00 to benefit about 702 folks.

The Search

Every year, a search for the best CIDSS municipality is undertaken to recognize the roles of the CIDSS stakeholders, particularly its Local Government Executives.  How the LGEs and the Municipal Inter-Agency Committees (MIAC) share resources is similarly dealt with.  

The annual search has the following objectives: 

• To recognize and encourage community efforts towards community empowerment; 
• To recognize and encourage LGUs efforts in management of facilitating mechanism; 
• To recognize and encourage efforts of convergence in the delivery of social services in the community based on the Minimum Basic Needs (MBN).

Initially, the selection is made through provincial nominations followed by the Regional Inter-Agency Committee (RIAC) that screens the provincial nominees.  The RIAC shall compose of four representatives (DECS, DOH, DILG and DSWD) from the core agencies actively participating in the CIDSS implementation in addition to one sectoral representative.

Before a regional winner is chosen, a validating team will authenticate the submitted documents after which a regional winner is declared.  After the declaration of the regional winner, the best CIDSS municipality in the region will be invited to the national awarding ceremony to coincide with the National Day of Overcoming Extreme Poverty on October 17, 2000.

There will be one awardee per region.  Each regional winner is to receive a PhP300, 000.00 cash award and a plaque.  The said amount will be then used to replicate the CIDSS strategy in another barangay.

Criteria and Rating Procedure

The assessment period covered is from January 1999 to the present using a four- point indicator of (1) Municipal Level Management, (2) Convergence of Services (3) Community Participation and Mobilization and (3) Localization of CIDSS

The Search for the Best Municipality

The search resulted in the submission of three entries.  However, only two were considered.  The two nominees submitted for consideration were: Bauko, Mt. Province and Rizal, Kalinga

Of the two entries submitted to the region, the municipality of Rizal, Kalinga was adjudged as the regional winner besting the other municipality aforementioned.  Basis for pronouncement was the comprehensiveness of the required documents submitted and reviewed.

The evaluation resulted in the overall rating of 82.75 % for Rizal, Kalinga, while Bauko, Mt. Province garnered 72.50%.

However, before the declaration of the regional winner is finalized, a site validation is to be carried out to assess the faithfulness of the submitted documents.  Hence, a RIAC validating team was formed.  

The composition of the RIAC validating team were CIDSS focal persons from DECS, DILG, DOH and DSWD.  The field validation was scheduled for October 9-11, 2000.

The Field Validation

The RIAC team traveled to Kalinga from Baguio City on morning of October 9 and arrived in the evening.  After an attempt to contact the municipal mayor, we proceeded to the home of the Municipal Social Welfare Development Officer (MSWDO).

Initial coordination was done with the MSWDO followed by a scrumptious meal of Tinola and a generous serving of backyard-grown-mushroom-soup.

The following day greeted us with an overcast sky.  The day before brought rain that lasted the whole night.  This was cause for concern since the team was told that the road going to the barangays might be inaccessible to automobiles.  Even the provincial social welfare office’s one-month old turbo 4x4 vehicle was not given a chance to prove its power.  Nonetheless, the team, the provincial and municipal social welfare staff, the CIDSS implementors and the CIDSS technical assistant were undaunted to the task.  The timely arrival of the requested farm tractor – the five-ton type- from the mayor brightened up an otherwise gloomy day.

The trip to barangays San Francisco and Kinama proved uneventful, as all reached the place without any hitches, save for a few mud-splatters on the clothes of those who rode on the tractor.

The CWS and the barangay officials were already waiting at the designated meeting places when the team arrived.  After the cursory greetings and pleasantries, the validation took place.  The dialogue was pleasant and insightful.  The CWS confirmed the document’s authenticity and more.  From the reactions and responses from the CWS and the community members, it was gathered that the government efforts are regarded as tangible and have positive impact on the community.  When asked about the convergence of services from different government agencies, they replied in the positive.  They even remarked that the delivery of social services is now faster.

Over all the CWS are active and are articulate about the projects proposed and implemented.  The personal views regarding CIDSS, convergence and the collective vision about their community’s progress is evident in their active participation in community development activities.  As before, the eagerness of having the opportunity of improving ones way of life prove to be a very motivating aspect in continuing CIDSS in the community.  They only hope that, with the partnership already in place, only better things will come in the future.

Convergence in the Community

Convergence was well understood by the community members, although they still need to be oriented in some of the CIDSS stakeholders’ programs.  All communities can be regarded as convergence barangays.  To typify such a scenario, we set barangay San Francisco as the example.

San Francisco’s MBN survey resulted in the classification of health, income, housing and education needs to be in the top 5.  The MIAC and BIAC set things in motion- social preparation to monitoring and evaluation.  The project identification was initiated by the CWS and the funds needed from several government agencies and  generous counterparting from the local chief executive and local government units. 

 Some of the projects implemented were the following: 

• A Level - II water system from the Department of Interior Local Government (DILG); 

• Enclosed pour flushed-water-sealed sanitary toilets from the resources of the Department of Health (DOH) and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD);

• A Literacy-cum-Livelihood program from the Philippine Army’s Army Literacy Patrol System (ALPS) and the Department of Education – Non Formal Education (DECS-NFE) who taught the community members how to raise edible mushrooms and how to do wood lamination;  

• House repairs under the Tulong Ayos Bahay program and the construction of a daycare center from (DSWD) and  the rehabilitation of farm to market roads from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

Plans of putting up tilapia and goat raising farms are underway and community coordination is being done with the Department of Agriculture.

The Verdict

After the dialogue, a consensus was made by the validating team.  To begin with, the rating for Rizal, Kalinga should be higher- at least  90% and the endorsement of finally declaring Rizal as the winner of the Best CIDSS Municipality in the Cordillera for the year; and finally the awarding of the Ps. 300,000.00 so that the replication process can begin the soonest possible time. 

People support what they help create!

For More Information Contact:

CIDSS-CAR
40 North Drive, Baguio City
Tel: (063) 074-442-8619
FAX: (063) 074-442-7917
E-mail: [email protected]