AIS welcomes DSWD KALAHI-CIDSS MIMAROPA to the Ateneo campus

Last 12 August 2025, the Ateneo Institute of Sustainability (AIS) welcomed the Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan – Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (KALAHI-CIDSS) Regional Program Management Office of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in the MIMAROPA Region. KALAHI-CIDSS is a poverty alleviation program that utilizes Community-Driven Development approach to empower communities in further building their access to basic services and infrastructures. 

The visit commenced with a Sustainability Walk, where the Organizational Sustainability Program toured the delegates around the Loyola Heights campus. They showcased the various sustainability efforts and structures of Ateneo, such as the building wastewater treatment system (BWaTS), photovoltaic systems, rainwater catchment, materials recovery facilities, and Arboretum of Threatened Philippine Native Trees among others. These provided KALAHI-CIDSS insights on our current efforts and gauge how they can introduce or replicate to their communities, making sustainability not as a buzzword, but an integral component of daily operations. 

After which, Dr. Emman Delocado, Director of AIS, led the discussion of AIS’ journey and its contribution to the University. He presented governance frameworks and engagement strategies to sustain these efforts within the community, highlighting that sustainability is a shared common but differentiated responsibility for all community members. It was also shared how AIS can contribute to external stakeholders through collaborative work, training, and capacity building.  KALAHI-CIDSS discussed their experience in empowering local leaders using the lens of community-driven development, and expressed their intent to enrich their work by highlighting resiliency and sustainability.

This paved the way to an exchange of ideas between AIS and KALAHI-CIDSS on potential collaborations. According to KALAHI-CIDSS, there will be an upcoming Philippine Community Resilience Project (PCRP) “Panahon ng Pagkilos” in DSWD. They believe they will require various partners from industries, academe and other sectors to successfully achieve this project’s goals and their mandate under DSWD.

The meeting concluded by KALAHI-CIDSS handing a certificate of appreciation to AIS for the warm welcome and meaningful exchange. KALAHI-CIDSS will continue discussions with Ateneo and hopefully form collaborative and impactful projects for their proponent communities in MIMAROPA.