A major highlight of the event was the official launch of the Performance-Based Grant for Sustainability (PBGS), led by DSWD Undersecretary for Operations Pinky Romualdez. The PBGS provides direct grant funding to high-performing Local Government Units (LGUs) to maintain community infrastructure, strengthen participatory governance, and enhance local disaster resilience.
Joined by DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian, the ceremony also recognized outstanding community volunteers and partner LGUs across two main tracks:
• Bayani Ka! Awards—recognized extraordinary community volunteers and local leaders in categories such as Gender and Development, Environmental Protection/DRRM, Indigenous Peoples Welfare, Senior Citizens, and Volunteerism.
• Tatak KALAHI-CIDSS LGU Awards—honored top-performing municipal, barangay, and provincial LGUs—including Lopez Jaena (Misamis Occidental), Claveria (Masbate), and Zamboanguita (Negros Oriental)—for co-funding sub-projects and institutionalizing Community-Driven Development (CDD).
About KALAHI-CIDSS
The Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan—Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (KALAHI-CIDSS) is one of the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) flagship poverty alleviation programs. It uses the Community-Driven Development (CDD) approach to empower communities to analyze local problems, design and implement solutions, and manage resources for sustainable development.