Impact Assessment of National Social Services Community Program in the Philippines

This study evaluated the implemtation and impact of the Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan - National Community Driven Development Program (KC-NCDDP) in Initao, Misamis Oriental in terms of socio-economic domain, institutional domain, community empowerment domain, and education sector for cycles 1, 2, 3 and 4. The respondents were selected using a purposive sampling technique based on their designation and functions for the previous cycles of the implementation from October 2015 to December 2019. Using descriptive correlation research design, the study utilized a researcher-made instrument to conduct the survey and interview among the selected respondents in all barangays. The study revealed that KC-NCDDP was effective in reducing poverty and promoting social and economic growth under the socio-economic domain as manifested by respondents’ strong agreement on the benefits and services they received from the completed sub-projects or infrastructures. Similarly, it was effective in promoting good governance outcomes under the institutional domain because people had active participation in municipal and barangay activities. It was also effective in empowering communities under the community empowerment domain because people gained a wider knowledge, skills, and values to be productive citizens in the community. In terms of the education sector, it was also effective in promoting school-based management (SBM) participation. For further validation of the results, there must be a similar study conducted with a larger group of subjects if the same findings will be established.


Introduction
Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan -National Community Driven Development Program (KC-NCDDP) is a comprehensive and integrated delivery of social services implemented in the selected municipalities in the Philippines.This program aims to empower communities using community-driven development (CDD) approach in order to reduce poverty and achieve good governance outcomes.Initao, Misamis Oriental was one of the municipalities that availed the program receiving 25 sub-projects implement in all barangays such as 9 barangay health stations located in barangay Andales, Aluna, Calacapan, Kamelon, Kanitoan, Oguis, Pagahan, Pontacon, Tubigan; 8 concreting of farm to market roads located in barangay Jampason, Poblacion, Sinalac, Oguis, Gimangpang, Apas, Tawantawan, Pontacon; 3 constructions of Potable Water System level II in Andales, Calacapan, Pagahan; 1 sea wall sub-project in barangay San Pedro; 1 school fence sub-project in barangay Tubigan; 1 daycare center in barangay Andales; 69 units community solar lights located in all purok of barangay Jampason; and 1 box culvert sub-project in barangay Aluna.The implementation of the program started in October 2015 and ended in December 31, 2019.All barangays benefited from the projects and all sub-projects were 100% fully completed and functional.All the sub-projects were already turned-over to their respective barangays, to their operation and maintenance groups.
Several years after the implementation of the program, a number of government and non-government agencies, both national and international, provided a positive assessment on the program.The project gained a lot of recognition as an effective poverty reduction program because of the job opportunities given to the poor communities, particularly in the East Coastal Area.Significantly, it helped the community stakeholders to establish shared trust, mutual understanding, and cooperation among them (Delfino, 2017).In fact, the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Region 5 described the program as people-centered and relevant to Bicol Regional Development Plan (RDP) 2017-2022 strategy.Similarly, Dungog-Cuizon (2021) found the dialogue part of the program as an effective feedback mechanism and an avenue for gathering various stakeholders.Morales (2017) also provided positive assessment of the project implementation in Quezon Province.
However, from the start of implementation until completion there were negative comments about the program and the barangay community felt that this program caused an additional workload.Operation and maintenance of sub-projects need enough amount of money and it was a burden to the community and Barangay Local Government Unit (BLGU) where to get funds.In a survey conducted by Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) in 2018, KC was not effective at generating broader social changes related to improving governance or community empowerment, or changes that persist or spill over beyond the project.In addition, Asian Development Bank (2016) revealed that the people did not realize the essence of Community-Driven Development (CDD) because they were all after the subprojects that made a greater impact in their daily lives.It was argued that CDD strategy did not have an impact in the longer-term; they were just after the infrastructure following the CEAC rules and procedures.Delfino (2017) and Gavilan (2015) described the program not free from flaws emphasizing on sufficient empirical evidence to prove the effectiveness and sustainability of the program.
In response to the call for empirical evidence and with limited studies on impact assessment of the KC-NCDDP, this study performed an impact assessment of KC-NCDDP in terms of the socio-economic domain, institutional domain, community empowerment domain, and education sector based on the evaluation of the benefitted communities in Initao, Misamis Oriental for cycles 1, 2, 3 and 4.

Theoretical Framework
This study was anchored on Sociocultural Theory of Lev Vygotsky (1934), Functionalism Theory of Herbert Spencer (1903), and the Hierarchy of Human Needs of Abraham Maslow (1954).
Sociocultural Theory.The sociocultural theory views human development as a socially mediated process in which learner acquire their cultural values, beliefs, and problemsolving strategies through collaborative dialogues with more knowledgeable members of society.Vygotsky's theory stresses the fundamental role of social interaction in the development of cognition as he believed strongly that community plays a central role in the process of "making meaning".As the current study focuses on social interaction through social advocates, collaboration in solving problems and sharing of knowledge and ideas with more knowledgeable members of society are important to achieve the common mission, vision, and goals in an organization (University of Kansas, 1994;2021).This study argues that when knowledge is managed properly and people given a platform to share and access it, it is opening the door to a whole host of benefits (Stringer, 2020).Functionalism Theory.Also called structural-functional theory, it sees society as a structure with interrelated parts designed to meet the biological and social needs of the individuals in that society (Durkheim, 1974).The theory states that just as the various organs of the body work together to keep the body functioning, the various parts of society work together to keep society functioning.According to Spencer (1952as cited in Offer, 2019), the parts of society were the social institutions, or patterns of beliefs and behaviors focused on meeting social needs, such as government, education, family, healthcare, religion, and the economy.It is believed that society is a complex system of interrelated and interdependent parts that work together to maintain stability and that society is held together by shared values, languages, and symbols.In the current study, the KC-NCDDP's main project was community empowerment emphasizing the functionalism theory of Herbert Spencer because people in society must work together to meet their needs, improve their status of living, and become productive citizens in the community (Offer, 2019).Supporting and empowering marginalized people contributes to building resilience for the community to demand human rights and a dividend in economic growth (UN HLPF, 2018).
Hierarchy of Human Needs.The hierarchy of human needs stated that people are motivated to achieve certain needs and that some needs take precedence over others.The most basic need is for physical survival, and this will be the first thing that motivates behavior.Once that level is fulfilled the next level up is what motivates and so on.In this study, people work together to achieve their basic needs.KC-NCDDP helps poor municipalities and communities to improve their status of living through voluntarism, social advocacy, collaboration in decision-making, and participation in barangay activities (Songco, 2016).

KALAHI-CIDSS Program Implementation
The KALAHI-CIDSS and Kapangyarihan at Kaunlaran sa Barangay (KKB) are The KC-PAMANA 2011 to 2016 implementation funded a total of 4,123 subprojects located in 67 municipalities of 18 provinces in 8 regions.All 4,123 (100%) subprojects were already completed.An estimate of 1,047,458 household beneficiaries has been served by the project and out of the PhP1.9 billion budget PhP1.8 billion (96%) has already been obligated.The report of Magno (2015) further explained the impact of the KC-NCDDP approach in participation in national-level policies.Based on this report, KC-NCDDP approach is effective in reducing poverty, preventing corruption, and empowering  2021) examined convergence initiative strategies to improve the work of DSWD workers.The data from interviews with regional, and provincial staff, and city and municipal action teams underscored the need to have a filing system of documents, strengthen responsibilities on coordination and strengthen IT initiatives for internal and external use.Some good practices were observed because of convergence such as the provision of awards for meritorious convergence initiatives, innovative practices of leaders in the field, ownership of plans by local governments, organization of convergence caravans, and some effective partnerships with civil society organizations.However, capacity development includes the need to define specific deliverables on internal and external convergence at all levels and strengthen feedback channels and data-sharing for enhancing strategic external partnerships.
As pointed out by Honor (2017), the CDD approach is used to empower communities in finding solutions or risk reduction measures to prevent damages caused by natural hazards or calamities like typhoons.Before people make a decision, the community must have proper training and planning to have enough knowledge and skills.Further study by Morales and Tiu Sonco II (2018), found that community enterprises development is fully functional.They gained enough knowledge to manage and improve sub-projects because they had proper training from the local and national governments.Enterprises developed sustainability skills for operations, improve the quality of products, and linked to local government to have better access to markets because of the KC-NCDDP process.Some of the skills and techniques learned in choosing livelihood projects are the nature of livelihood projects, components, availability of skills and materials locally, and marketability of products.

Implication to Education
According to Education For All (EFA), DSWD, through KALAHI-CIDSS, provides anti-poverty programs that help all people to gain equal access to quality basic education and enhanced participation in the planning, budgeting, and implementation at the barangay level.

KALAHI-CIDSS is being scaled up through the National Community Driven Development
Program (NCDDP), the government's poverty reduction flagship program.Through NCDDP, ordinary citizens are empowered to take part in local governance as they collectively identify their community needs, and plan, implement, and monitor projects (EFA 2015).
In the study of Beatty et al. (2018), the four-year impact findings of KALAHI-CIDSS showed that during 1 st and 2 nd rounds of the report, KC delivered public goods and those that met citizen priorities.However, KC was not effective in longer social changes related to improved governance or community empowerment and changes that persist beyond the subproject.It found no impact on longer-term socio-economic domains related to household consumption, household assets, household labor force participation, and earnings.But in the third round, the quantity and quality of participation in local governance around decisionmaking and implementation related to KC were significant.It was effective in reducing poverty under the socio-economic domain, promoting good governance under the institutional domain and community empowerment domain.It was because, over time, there were more people or volunteers participated in Barangay Development Council (BDC) and Barangay Council (BC) meetings.But in the education sector, KC NCDDP was weak.There was some weak evidence on subprojects that improved education facilities also improved enrollments and student-teacher ratios, and no evidence that investments in daycare facilities allowed women to participate in the labor force at higher rates.
Moreover, the study of MCC (2018) found that KC did not appear to have changed in the quantity or quality of citizen participation in local governance beyond the project.This is in line with the KC theory of change, in which communities experience the KC process with its extensive meetings and wide community engagement.The study did not find any evidence that the aim of CDD was successful.One explanation for this is that some barangay government structures did not easily allow KC to engage in their government transactions.
Citizens were involved in the barangay assemblies, but these happened at least twice a year and were mainly for reporting purposes not engagement about project decisions.In terms of the socio-economic domain, road infrastructure led to reduce travel time and cost to basic services and lowered transport costs for agricultural products but had no effect on productivity for fisheries or livestock and poultry.In terms of the education sector, school buildings and school facilities, sub-projects improved enrollment in primary and secondary schools and water system sub-projects reduced the time and cost spent obtaining water.However, KC did not achieve long-run goals of poverty reduction, as measured by household assets, consumption, warehousing value or labor force participation and household earnings.
It was not conclusive that KC surely promotes better governance or citizen engagement.
The study of Tocalo (2018) focused on Maranao cultural beliefs and practices revealed that women are underrepresented because they were so attached to their traditional gender role.Hence, KC-NCDDP had no significant effect on the attainment of women's participation and the improvement of local governance through participation, transparency, and accountability under the institutional domain.The required 30% of woman's participation in the labor force during implementation, and completion of sub-projects cannot be attained because they are not convinced with the idea of women filling up the labor force.
The local government in Maranao communities does not conduct consultation; hence, there is a gap in local governance.People know their rights but participation and transparency in local governance are limited.Similarly, Aceron (2022) found that despite the various poverty reduction initiative created by the national government since 1992, inclusive development remains elusive.The country's poverty incidence remains high at twenty-one percent in 2018 (Philippine Statistics Authority, 2019).

Methodology
This study used the descriptive research design using both quantitative and qualitative data.Descriptive research was used in describing the profile of respondents in terms of gender, age, occupation/designation, family income, marital status, benefits, and services gained from KC-NCDDP in terms of socio-economic domain, institutional domain, community empowerment domain, and education sector.Using Focus Group Discussion (FGD), six questions were asked relative to the benefits they received from the program.
The study used purposive sampling technique in the selection of the participants.The respondents of the study were the punong barangay, barangay sub-project management committee (BSPMC) chairperson, and 3 operation and maintenance groups.There were 5 participants in every barangay for a total of 80 respondents.The sampling selection ensured that both female and male respondents were given equal opportunity to participate in the conduct of the study regardless of marital status and income.The age bracket of respondents was 30-70 years old with the right to give consent to participant in the study.Operation and maintenance groups were composed of the ordinary recipients and barangay council for infrastructure who were active participants during the conduct of KC-NCDDP activities in their municipalities.
Research ethics and health protocols were strictly observed during the data-gathering phase.The questionnaire content was checked by the authorities from the appropriate regional office to measure the content validity.The questionnaire was translated into the Visayan dialect for easy understanding.After the questionnaire was checked, pilot testing was conducted to test the questionnaire's reliability.The participants during pilot testing were the 14 purok presidents in barangay Poblacion because they were active and easy to approach.The overall Cronbach's alpha was 0.965 which has a high internal consistency.
The study used descriptive statistics and independent T-test/One-way ANOVA and thematic analysis in analyzing the data presented.

Results and Discussion
The foregoing tables present the benefits and services gained from KC-NCDDP in the community of Initao, Misamis Oriental in the Philippines.(SD=0.42)or a descriptive rating of agree.The result showed that KC-NCDDP was effective in terms of community empowerment.The results contrast with the study of Delfino (2017), in which he found the weakness of the program in terms of community empowerment.
Community empowerment was not the priority of the community, they were all after the subprojects or infrastructures that made them motivated to participate and the municipal action team facilitated them but it was no longer significant in long term.People would forget the essence of CDD after the completion of the KC-NCDDP cycle in their municipality.On average, respondents' evaluation of the received benefits and services gained from KC-NCDDP in terms of the education sector got a rating of M=3.08 (SD=0.72)or a descriptive rating of agree.The result shows that KC-NCDDP has an agreeable impact on implementation in terms of the education sector and it is effective in promoting school-based Table 10 shows that KC-NCDDP was effective to reduce poverty because people earned additional family income during the construction of infrastructure and completed infrastructures were fully functional.For them, the knowledge and skills they learned in solving social and economic problems were the legacies of this program.As supported by the study of Morales and Tiu Sonco II (2018), community enterprises development is fully functional.They had gained enough knowledge on how to manage and improve their subprojects because they had proper training from local and national government.

Summary and Discussion:
They recommended and suggested that the program should be continued and it should be institutionalized because it was effective in reducing poverty through community participation.They also asked the national government to enforce the sustainability mechanism of the completed sub-projects by providing enough budget.They also requested, if possible, all expenses such as volunteers' fare, preparation of papers like notary, snacks and other expenses shouldered by the barangay fund as a counterpart contribution will have enough budget from the national government.
The result in table 10 relative to the respondents' comments and suggestions stressed that KC-NCDDP should continue because it was effective to reduce poverty.The national government must look into the aspect of ensuring the sustainability mechanism of completed sub-projects.
Table 11 presents the difference in the perceived benefits and services gained from KC-NCDDP when respondents are grouped according to their sex using the independent Ttest analysis.Results revealed that both the male and female respondents have a comparable level of perceived benefits and services gained with the average result of t=-0.018,p=0.985.Table 14 presents the difference in the perceived benefits and services gained from KC-NCDDP when respondents are grouped according to their designation using the Oneway ANOVA.The result showed that the Punong Barangay, BSPMC Chair, and O&M group respondents have a similar level of perceived benefits and services gained from KC-NCDDP with the average result of F=1.882, p=0.159.Likewise, the results disclosed that the perceived benefits and services gained from KC-NCDDP relative to a socio-economic domain, institutional domain, community empowerment domain, and education sector were similar across their designation.
Table 15 presents the difference in the perceived benefits and services gained from KC-NCDDP when respondents are grouped according to their income using the One-way ANOVA.Results revealed that the poor income group (5,000-10,999) and lower middleclass income group (≥21,000) respondents have a similar level of perceived benefits and services gained from KC-NCDDP with the average result of F=0.692, p=0.560.
For the consolidated result, there was no significant difference in the perceived benefits and services gained from KC-NCDDP in terms of socio-economic domain, institutional domain, community empowerment domain, and education sector when respondents were grouped according to their sex (t=-0.018,p=0.985), marital status (F=0.221,p=0.802), age (F=0.133,p=0.940), designation/occupation (F=1.882,p=0.159) and income (F=0.692,p=0.560).Thus, the result showed a comparable result, and respondents' profile did not affect their responses and answers on the received benefits and services gained from KC-NCDDP.

Conclusion and Recommendations
This study showed the effectiveness of KC-NCDDP to reduce poverty and achieve initiatives that used Community Driven Development (CDD) approach as implemented by the national government to reduce poverty by empowering communities.The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) ensures that the main objectives of the program are successful.It follows several activities based on Community Empowerment Activity Cycle (CEAC).The KALAHI-CIDSS seeks to empower communities in chosen municipalities and achieve good governance outcomes.The funds for sub-projects or infrastructures are allocated through a competitive community priority-setting process during Municipal Inter-barangay Forum (MIBF) prioritization process.Meanwhile, the KALAHI Program or Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan (Linking Arms against Poverty) is an antipoverty agenda associated with the Social Reform Agenda in terms of program components like human development, social security, and development administration.But evidence shows KALAHI as different from the social reform agenda in some areas.Through CIDSS that convergence was manifested by the different agencies in social services, there was still a failure to link with other sectors KALAHI succeed to address immediate problems in social security.Thus, social security is separated as an agenda from human development commitment (ADB, 2020).The Asian Development Bank (ADB) funded all the sub-projects of KC phase 1 starting 2003 to 2010 (ADB, 2012).After completion of phase 1 and seeing more than positive results compared to negative results, World Bank and the Millennium Challenge Corporation funded the KC in 2011 to launch a modality known as Makamasang Tugon, an LGU-led implementation.Makamasang Tugon is designed to ensure the long-term sustainability of KC-NCDDP projects.It is proven that KALAHI-CIDSS implementation is effective in reducing poverty over the past 8 years of implementation with transparency strengthened during MIBF.Based on the survey of the Asian Development Bank (2012), 93% of the fund is fully utilized for the implementation up to the completion of all the subprojects.
In 2017, the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) and DSWD agreed to expand the partnership under PAMANA to support a Community Driven-Development Program for Indigenous Peoples (IP-CDD).DSWD Central Office strengthens the partnership of local governance institutions and the Indigenous Political Structures (IPS) and builds communities' resilience to conflict (DSWD NCDDP KC-Pamana Project Briefer, 2018).
collaborative and innovative activity is conducted called Municipal Talakayan in all municipalities that availed the program, to elevate people's understanding of the status of local development, particularly in the areas of local governance, poverty reduction, and people empowerment.Including Indigenous People (IP) or marginalized communities have been given equal opportunities to participate in the decision-making, implementation, and evaluation of sub-projects from the start-up to the completion of KC-NCDDP in their municipalities.On the other hand,Albert et al. ( ISSN 2782-9227 (Print) 2782-9235 (Online) | 45 good governance outcomes through community empowerment and leadership skills.People became more active in participating, in purok, barangay, municipal and school activities through voluntarism.Hence, this study concludes that the KALAHI-CIDSS National Community Driven Development Program had a strongly agreeable impact implementation in terms of the socio-economic domain and agreeable impact implementation in terms of institutional domain, community empowerment domain and education sector to the lives of the people in Initao, Misamis Oriental.Through KC-NCDDP, people realized the essence of being productive citizens by helping barangay leaders to promote welfare and community development.This study recommends the continuity and permanency of the program by institutionalizing the KC-NCDDP through a law with sufficient budget allocation for program sustainability.The program implementer may consider the relevance of having an orientation, consultation, and meeting with the school personnel during the conduct or the implementation of KC-NCDDP in the municipality.The activities should be included in the Community Empowerment Activity Cycle (CEAC).With the limits on the locale of the study, further studies are encouraged on a larger group of samples in different locations.

Table 1
Benefits and Services Gained from KC-NCDDP in Terms of Socio-Economic Domain

Table 2
Benefits and Services Gained from KC-NCDDP in Terms of Institutional DomainOn average, respondents' evaluation of the received benefits and services gained from KC-NCDDP in terms of institutional domain got a rating of M=3.43 (SD=0.36)or a descriptive rating of agree.It was manifested that KALAHI-CIDSS improved barangay and local government services under the institutional domain because many former volunteers became barangay officials bringing with them the skills that they learned from the program. 

Table 3
Benefits and Services Gained from KC-NCDDP in Terms of Community Empowerment Domain On average, respondents' evaluation of the received benefits and services gained from KC-NCDDP in terms of community empowerment domain got the rating of M=3.49ISSN 2782-9227 (Print) 2782-9235 (Online) | 49

Table 4
Benefits and Services Gained from KC-NCDDP in Terms of the Education Sector National government must take into consideration the institutionalization of the program.
**National government must look into the aspect of ensuring sustainability mechanism of completed subprojects.

Table 11
Difference in the Perceived Benefits and Services Gained from KC-NCDDP According to Sex

Table 12
Difference in the Perceived Benefits and Services Gained from KC-NCDDP According to Marital Status

Table 13
Difference in the Perceived Benefits and Services Gained from KC-NCDDP According to Age Note: Analysis is based on One-way ANOVA; ns-not significant at 0.05 level Table12presents the difference in the perceived benefits and services gained from KC-NCDDP when respondents are grouped according to their marital status using the Oneway Analysis of Variance (ANOVA).Results showed that married, single, and widow respondents have a comparable level of perceived benefits and services gained from KC-NCDDP with the average result of F=0.221, p=0.802.

Table 14
Difference in the Perceived Benefits and Services Gained from KC-NCDDP According to Designation

Table 15
Difference in the Perceived benefits and Services Gained from KC-NCDDP According to Their Income Note: Analysis is based on One-way ANOVA; ns-not significant at 0.05 level ISSN 2782-9227 (Print) 2782-9235 (Online) | 57