DSWD Kicks Off 2025 Local Chief Executives Forum Highlighting Community Development and Resilience

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) officially inaugurated the 2025 Local Chief Executives (LCE) Forum on Wednesday, November 19, at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Cebu City. The event was led by the Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan–Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (KALAHI-CIDSS) program.

In his keynote message, DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian emphasized the crucial contribution of local chief executives in executing over 92,000 developmental sub-projects under the KALAHI-CIDSS initiative, which has benefited more than 24 million households nationwide.

Approximately 500 delegates representing local government units (LGUs) from across the country gathered to participate in discussions centered on Community-Driven Development (CDD) and strategies to strengthen community resilience.

The forum also marked the launch of a new community resilience initiative, "Panahon ng Pagkilos: The Philippine Community Resilience Project (PCRP)", introduced by the DSWD. Additionally, the event featured the Tatak KALAHI-CIDSS LGU awarding ceremony, recognizing exemplary LGUs for their dedication to implementing sustainable and empowering programs.

The 2025 LCE Forum serves as a platform to reinforce collaborative efforts between the national government and local leaders to accelerate inclusive development and enhance disaster preparedness at the grassroots level.