CORDILLERA ADMINISTRATIVE REGION- The Department of Social Welfare and Development Field Office CAR, through the Enhanced Partnership against Hunger and Poverty (EPAHP) Regional Program Management Office, conducted program orientations in the different provinces of the Cordillera from 12-28 October 2021.  

The participants of the orientations are representatives from the Provincial Local Government Units specifically from the Office of the Governor, Office of the Vice Governor, Provincial Agriculture Office, Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office, Provincial Planning and Development Office, and Provincial Health Office. Also joining the event are the provincial government agencies: Department of the Interior and Local Government, Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Department of Education (DepED), National Irrigation Administration (NIA), Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

The orientations focused on providing program overview and updates to align participating government institutions’ strategies and principles concerning the efficient implementation of the program and to magnify the role of the local government units (LGUs) in the undertaking.

The participants were provided the details on the Regional Memorandum of Understanding, and updates from DSWD-FO CAR’s Supplementary Feeding Program (SFP), Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) and Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation (CCAM). 

In the orientation, participants were provided an assessment activity on reinforcing their knowledge of the EPAHP’s Mission and Vision. Apart from this, a workshop was also conducted to hone their capabilities in planning effective strategies to ensure that EPHP program objectives are met by their agencies.  

The orientation marks the beginning of the program implementation in the region. 

EPAHP: Convergence towards Sustainable Social Development

Conceptualized, initiated and spearheaded by DSWD-FO CAR Regional Director Arnel B. Garcia, CESO II, Enhanced Partnership against Hunger and Poverty is a program following the Partnership Against Hunger and Poverty (PAHP) program that was a joint undertaking of various agencies such as DAR, DSWD, and DA, which aims to help mitigate hunger, ensure food and nutrition security, and reduce poverty in urban and rural communities, including marginalized communities. 

“This reinforced convergence and synergy among the different government agencies and other development partners will revolutionize the journey towards social development. Through the EPAHP, better engagement with rural communities, enhancement of social capital and optimization of economic resource base is within our reach. This will be done through supplementary feeding and food production programs, and essential services which include the participation of Community-based Organizations in government procurement as partners and/or service providers,” said Regional Director Garcia.  

EPAHP expanded the PAHP program implementation nationwide and paved the way for additional partners to be part of the convergence. There are 25 agencies and two international partners: World Food Programme (WFP) and Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) that are involved in the program. 

The EPAHP Convergence Program’s Memorandum of Understanding was signed on  9 December 2019. #DSWD-CAR,  SOCIAL MARKETING UNIT, Lorillie R.  Gonzales