The Kalahi-CIDSS Regional Program Management Office (RPMO), through the Area Coordinating Team headed by Darby April Gaye Almonte-Calay, conducted a Municipal Resilience Team (MResT) Orientation in Pandan, Antique on May 9, 2026. This activity was held in preparation for the implementation of the Philippine Community Resilience Project (PCRP).
Orientation in Pandan, Antique
The orientation gathered Municipal Resilience Team core members who are expected to play key roles in implementing the PCRP. This program aims to strengthen community resilience through participatory and science-based planning in areas vulnerable to environmental and social risks.
Representing the RPMO, Reyky Pelonia, Community Development Officer III of the Social Development Unit, introduced participants to the vision and framework of the Philippine Community Resilience Project. Pelonia said the initiative seeks to help vulnerable communities adapt to environmental and social challenges while encouraging residents to become active partners in local development efforts.
Pagkilos as Guiding Principle
Central to the discussion was Pagkilos, the guiding principle of the project. Pagkilos stands for Participatory Adaptation for Resilience, Good Governance, Knowledge Building, Intergovernmental Partnership, Localized and Flexible Operating System, Organizational Development, and Science-based Decision Making. Pelonia said the PCRP will be implemented over a five-year period from 2025 to 2030 to provide communities enough time to establish and sustain resilience-centered programs and initiatives.
For Pandan Mayor Tomas Estoperez Jr., the activity served as an important opportunity for local officials and stakeholders to understand how resilience-building measures can be integrated into community governance and planning. Estoperez presided over the orientation and expressed support for the program, emphasizing the importance of collaboration between local government units and community stakeholders to ensure the success of the project.
The orientation also clarified the duties and responsibilities of Municipal Resilience Team members, who will lead coordination activities and support future PCRP implementation in the municipality. Also present during the activity was Delfin Peñaflorida, supervising administrative officer and Kalahi-CIDSS focal person in Pandan. Organizers said the activity marked the beginning of broader efforts to improve local preparedness, strengthen community participation, and create long-term solutions to environmental and social risks faced by vulnerable communities in Pandan.
Cash Relief Distribution in Oton, Iloilo
Meanwhile, in Iloilo, the DSWD 6 continued verifying payroll details of PUJ driver-beneficiaries during the distribution of cash relief assistance at the Oton National High School Gym in Oton, Iloilo on May 11, 2026. The assistance was intended for transport sector workers affected by the continuing increase in oil prices.
DSWD 6 also established designated priority lanes for senior citizen drivers to ensure their comfort and provide faster assistance during the payout process. The agency said the initiative is aligned with the directives of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian to continue extending support to transportation workers affected by fuel price increases.
Officials said the payroll verification process was conducted to ensure the proper release of financial assistance to qualified beneficiaries and to maintain an orderly payout operation. The simultaneous activities in Antique and Iloilo highlighted continuing government efforts to strengthen both disaster resilience and economic assistance programs for vulnerable sectors and communities in Western Visayas.
