Philippine Government Agencies Unite for Community Resilience Project in Central Visayas
In a significant move to bolster community resilience, more than 20 national government agencies and civil society organizations convened for the inaugural joint Regional Inter-Agency Committee (RIAC) meeting on February 20, 2026. This gathering aimed to reinforce a whole-of-government approach for implementing the Panahon ng Pagkilos: Philippine Community Resilience Project (PCRP) and enhance support for Filipino families across the region.
Strengthening Coordination and Avoiding Duplication
Chaired by Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Field Office 7 Director Shalaine Marie S. Lucero, CESO III, the three-hour meeting provided a platform for agencies to align their mandates, prevent service duplication, and integrate interventions in disaster preparedness, climate resilience, and social protection. Key regional offices in attendance included:
- Department of Economy, Planning, and Development
- National Anti-Poverty Commission
- National Commission on Indigenous Peoples
- Department of Agriculture
- Office of Civil Defense
- Department of Agrarian Reform
- Department of Education
- Department of Health
- National Housing Authority
- Department of Trade and Industry
According to the DSWD, the PCRP is a government program designed to strengthen community capacity through participatory resilience planning and increase access to investments in disaster-prone areas. Under the World Bank loan framework, establishing the RIAC is crucial to ensure effective inter-agency coordination, governance compliance, and program integration for successful project implementation in the region.
Commitments and Agreements for Future Action
During the meeting, participants affirmed their commitment to convergence by integrating infrastructure support, livelihood programs, social protection services, environmental management, and disaster risk reduction initiatives. The RIAC also agreed to hold regular coordination meetings to track progress, address implementation issues, and strengthen inter-agency accountability.
Deputy Regional Program Manager Engr. Helen C. Ybañez from Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan – Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (Kalahi-CIDSS) 7 presented the contents of a joint memorandum of agreement to be signed by the DSWD with partner agencies. Atty. Ron Stevend Maylon, legal counsel for the agency, also attended the session.
Key agreements reached include registering all volunteers under the PhilHealth Yakap Program, clearly designating acting heads in the joint MOA, and appointing a regional focal person from each agency to attend all activities and provide technical assistance. With clearer mandates and robust agreements, the rollout of the PCRP in Central Visayas is expected to move beyond planning and into implementation through coordinated community action, where resilience is not just discussed but built through collective effort.
