Cordillera Administrative Region- The Local Government Unit of Pasil in Kalinga Province received a Municipal Isolation Facility on 26 August 2021. Implemented under the Department of Social Welfare and Development Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services – National Community Driven Development Program (KC-NCDDP) , the facility has a floor area of 225 square meter with ten individual isolation rooms and a nurse’s station. Each isolation room has its own comfort room and is fully furnished with the basic amenities to ensure that the patient’s needs and comfort are provided following health protocols. Personal protective equipment, cleaning materials, and medical tools were also provided. Aside from the building, the sub-project also included the construction of a water supply system and a slope protection for the facility to ensure that it is well-equipped and is safe for accommodating clients.
As cases continue to increase within the municipality and the neighboring locality, the local government unit identified the sub-project to be its priority need. Having no district hospital, the Municipal Isolation Facility is indeed of great help to isolate probable and positive cases to prevent local infection and to protect others, especially the immunocompromised from the virus.
“Being a volunteer is a very challenging task, we have experienced difficulties during the implementation due to continuous rain and the presence of COVID positive individuals quarantined at the old isolation facility. Pero kahit mahirap ay kinaya namin dahil umiral ang love at commitment ng bawat isa para maitayo ang sub-project dahil nakikita namin kung gaano ito ka importante ngayong panahon ng pandemya.” shared Ms. Delia Wail, one of the community volunteers.
The municipality of Pasil has long adopted the process of Community Driven Development in their local planning process and has supported this through Municipal Ordinance No. 2019-01 in 23 June 2019. Through this, the community members are involved in the prioritization and identification of the needs of each barangay during their barangay assemblies and other local planning activities. Honorable Mayor Alfredo B. Malannag, Jr. shared how the program has empowered the community volunteers to become assets to the LGU. Community volunteers donated food and labor during the construction of the isolation facility. With this, their sense of accountability and ownership of the sub-project is enhanced. Further, transparency in the fund utilization was still practiced.
In total, the sub-project costs Php 6,738,061.84. Php 5,047,650 was funded by the program while the rest was the counterpart of the LGU.
On behalf of the DSWD Secretary Rolando Joselito Bautista, DSWD Assistant Secretary Rhea B. Penaflor together with DSWD FO CAR officials led by RD Arnel B. Garcia, CESO II graced the event. Asec. Penaflor commended the community and the local government unit for their efforts in building the infrastructure to exemplary standard given the limited fund. She also highlighted that the teamwork of the agency, the LGU, and the community paved the success of the sub-project. #DSWD-CAR, Social Marketing Unit, Eden Faith S. Fataner
