When Rodel Lovino moved from Bicol to the remote barangay of Ableg, Daguioman, Abra, he never imagined that one day he would be helping protect the very land that welcomed him. Having settled in the community after marrying a local, Rodel quickly embraced the Cordilleran way of life that is rooted in hard work, unity, and care for the land.
Before finding his place in Ableg, Rodel worked as a laborer in Manila. Life in the city was difficult and uncertain, but it taught him perseverance and humility, values he carried with him when he decided to build a new life with his family in the province.
In 2022, he found a new purpose when he joined the Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan–Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (KALAHI-CIDSS) program as a community volunteer. Since then, he has been an active member of the Procurement Team, helping ensure that every step of their subprojects is transparent and community-driven.
On 17 October 2025, the Department of Social Welfare and Development Field Office Cordillera Administrative Region (DSWD FO CAR), through KALAHI-CIDSS, officially turned over the ₱1.2 million slope protection subproject to the people of Barangay Ableg. The project, funded under the PAyapa at MAsaganang PamayaNAn – Peace and Development Buong Bansa Mapayapa (PAMANA PDBBM) modality, was prioritized by the community during their Participatory Situational Analysis (PSA) to safeguard their farmlands and crops, which serve as their main source of livelihood. It now benefits 54 households, providing protection against erosion and landslides and helping ensure the stability of their income and food supply.
“Malaking pasasalamat at nabigyan ako ng pagkakataon na maging community volunteer. Na-develop ko ang sarili ko at natulungan ko pa ang barangay namin. Dahil sa slope protection, magiging ligtas kami at ang mga pananim namin,” (I’m very grateful for the opportunity to serve as a community volunteer. I was able to develop myself while also helping our barangay. Because of the slope protection project, we and our crops will now be safe,) shared Rodel.
For Rodel, volunteering for KALAHI-CIDSS is more than just service, it’s a way of giving back to the community that became his second home. Through the program, he gained confidence, leadership skills, and a deeper sense of belonging.
For the past decade since 2015, the Municipality of Daguioman has been a steadfast partner of KALAHI-CIDSS, institutionalizing community participation and good local governance. A total of 25 community subprojects has already been completed in the municipality. With empowered volunteers like Rodel, residents continue to plan, implement, and sustain projects that uplift their lives. #DSWD-CAR, SOCIAL MARKETING UNIT, Yvonne Gracious T. Elegado, Social Marketing Officer III
