Business World Online
The World Bank (WB) on Friday approved US$479 million worth of loan for the Philippine government to fund the latter’s anti-poverty program for at least 8 million Filipinos, including the victims of super typhoon “Yolanda”.
In its website, the WB reported that its Board of Executive Directors approved the anti-poverty loan equivalent to more than P21 billion to scale up the coverage of the National Community-Driven Development Project (NCDDP) implemented by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
The government’s poverty alleviation program, formerly known as Kapitbisig Laban sa Kahirapan – Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services, will prioritize municipalities affected by the disaster that devastated Visayas region in November 2013.
DSWD Sec. Dinky Soliman said the approved loan will boost major programs to alleviate rural poverty in communities and at the same time will help to respond to the needs of typhoon survivors who are still reeling from the devastation.
The projects will target the areas of Western Visayas, specifically Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Guimaras, Iloilo and Negros Occidental, and in areas of Bohol, Cebu, Negros Oriental and Siquijor in Central Visayas heavily damaged by 7.2-magnitude earthquake.
Moreover, areas of Biliran, Eastern Samar, Leyte, Northern Samar, Western Samar and Southern Leyte in Eastern Visayas will receive the necessary projects for development, Soliman said.
The program, which started in 2002 with the support of the World Bank, helps poor communities to organize, analyze their own situation, prepare project proposals to address their common problems, and compete for block grants to finance their own projects, Soliman said.
Community-driven projects under the NCDDP including include local construction of water systems, school buildings, day care centers and health stations, as well as roads and bridges.
World Bank Country Director for the Philippines Motoo Konishi said these projects have good track records in the country in terms of contributing to improvements of poor people’s lives. He said that based on a recent evaluation, NCDDP beneficiaries’ spending for food and other necessities has increased by 12 percent.
Meanwhile, Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima said the loan will contribute to the US$8 billion needed for the reconstruction and recovery plan of the government.
“The NCDDP will assist our efforts in the swift reconstruction of disaster-affected areas through financing and implementing community-driven projects,” he said.
The DSWD will also implement several projects in Luzon, MIMAROPA (Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan), Cordillera Administrative Region, and in Bicol.
It also aims to lift the lives of communities in Northern Mindanao, in Cotabato, Sarangani and Sultan Kudarat, Caraga , Zamboanga Peninsula, and Davao. (Ron B. Lopez)