Palasaan, Mankayan, Benguet – Barangay Palasaan has long dreamed of a well-paved road connecting the community to Barangay Bulalacao, a road that would ensure safer travel, reduce transportation costs, and improve access to markets and essential services. For years, the community continued to work towards this goal, demonstrating persistence and dedication.
In 2023, Barangay Palasaan became a participant in the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan – Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (KALAHI-CIDSS) program, through its PAyapa at MAsaganang Pamayanan – Indigenous Peoples – Community-Driven Development (PAMANA–IP–CDD) modality, marking a turning point for the community. Through this initiative, residents were empowered to identify their most pressing needs and actively participate in planning, decision-making, and implementation. Community volunteers received training to manage projects, secure funding, and collaborate effectively with stakeholders.
Over the next three years, critical portions of the barangay road were successfully concreted. While the first phase took slightly longer than initially planned, the community’s increasing expertise and coordination enabled subsequent projects to be completed ahead of schedule.
Under the program, Barangay Palasaan has implemented three subprojects that directly addressed the community’s mobility and livelihood needs. These include the improvement of the Mayangyang–Aliway Farm-to-Market Road (FMR), which costs ₱1,178,865.32 and benefits 60 households; the improvement of the FMR along Sitio Mayangyang to Sitio Central, which costs ₱654,328.37 and benefits 678 households; and the improvement of Sitio Mayangyang to Sitio Liten FMR, which costs ₱1,193,291.93 and benefits 685 households.
The developments have had a tangible impact on daily life in Palasaan. Roads are now safer and more reliable, mobility within the barangay has increased, market access for farmers has improved, and emergency response has become faster and more efficient. Beyond infrastructure, the project has revived the spirit of bayanihan, benefiting 5,811 residents who take pride in ensuring that every centavo is used wisely and responsibly.
Barangay Palasaan’s journey demonstrates the transformative power of DSWD’s community-driven development approach. #DSWD-CAR, SOCIAL MARKETING UNIT, Yvonne Gracious T. Elegado, Social Marketing Officer III and Benguet Area Coordinating Team
