DSWD-5 completes food, water sufficiency projects in 12 LGUs

LEGAZPI CITY – The Department of Social Welfare and Development in Bicol (DSWD-5) has completed the implementation of Project LAWA at BINHI (Local Adaptation to Water Access and Breaking Insufficiency through Nutritious Harvest) with 12 partner local government units (LGUs) in the region.

In an interview on Monday, DSWD-5 disaster risk reduction and management division information officer Carl James Cabarles said the partner LGUs completed the three stages of the program on Friday.

These are Caramoran, Gigmoto, Viga and Bagamanoc in Catanduanes; Magallanes, Pilar, Casiguran, Donsol and Castilla in Sorsogon; and Balud, Batuan and Pio V. Corpus in Masbate province.

The stages of implementation involved a three-day learning and development session through cash-for-training; 15-day cash-for-work program supporting water sufficiency and food security; and two-day cash-for-training focused on implementation assessment and project sustainability planning.

"The 12 partner LGUs with the partner beneficiaries have completed projects related to ensuring water sufficiency and food security in their areas. We have a total of 3,642 partner beneficiaries that will receive PHP7,900 each for the 20-day cash for training and work," Cabarles said.

He said this week's scheduled payout will be in Catanduanes province.

Some of the outputs of the beneficiaries were the construction of small farm reservoirs, repair and rehabilitation of water-impounding facilities and multipurpose water infrastructure, he noted.

Cabarles said for food insecurity, the projects included school-based and community-based gardening, and planting of disaster-resilient crops and fruit-bearing trees.

He noted that the initiative aims to address and prevent adversities and challenges that may be caused by La Niña and establish long-term solutions to mitigate the impact of water scarcity and food insufficiency on vulnerable communities during disasters. (PNA)