Kapit-bisig Laban saKahirapan Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services National Community Driven Development Program (Kalahi-CIDSS NCDDP) of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) held its 2ndBayani Ka! Awards last February 9, 2016 in Metro Manila.

The Bayani Ka! Award’s intention is to acknowledge the hard work performed in the locality—the everyday heroes who put their own communities (“Bayan”) before themselves (“I”). They are our new generation of champions who help the program in its advocacy of making the Community-Driven Development (CDD) a reality.

As one of the regions who has just started in the CDD program, this did not stop the municipality of Quezon to stand up and get noticed for its best practice. Barangay Sto. Cristo, Quezon bagged the Best Local Government Unit category during the event. The said barangay was represented by its Barangay Captain, Hon. Narcissa Paraso, who also won as the Best Barangay Local Chief Executive during the Regional BayaniKa! Awards held last November 2015.

“Noong unang ipakilala sa amin ang programang KALAHI-CIDDS sabi ng aking mga kabarangay ay, mahirap dahil maraming proseso na dapat pagdaanan. Kinausap ko at pinaunawa sa aking mga kabarangay na kaya naming maiangat ang aming barangay kung kami ay sama-sama, nagtutulungan at kapitbisig naming lalabanan ang Kahirapan. Dahil sa KALAHI-CIDDS nagging maligaya ang aming barangay dahil nakita naming ang bunga ng aming pagkakaisa,”Paraso said.

Aside from the above mentioned recognitions, Kalahi-CIDSS Region III also went home with Gawad Kalahi Award for Innovation and Breakthrough in CDD Management (Inter-Barangay Resource Mobilization and Cooperation). ### (Jennie DC. Piedra)