Nearly 6,000 Eastern Visayas Families Join DSWD Projects to Combat Food and Water Shortages

EASTERN VISAYAS — Nearly 6,000 families in Eastern Visayas are participating in a Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) initiative designed to combat food insecurity and water scarcity. The projects, known as Project LAWA (Local Adaptation to Water Access) and BINHI (Breaking Insufficiency through Nutritious Harvest for the Impoverished), are targeting 20 towns across four provinces in the region.

According to Philippines News Agency, the program includes extensive training in disaster risk reduction, climate change adaptation, and sustainable agricultural practices. “Project LAWA at BINHI is an initiative to address the critical issues of food insecurity and water insufficiency, and to mitigate the impacts of climate change, including the ongoing El Niño phenomenon,” a spokesperson from the DSWD regional office conveyed in a message to the Philippine News Agency.

The program covers diverse geographical areas including several towns in Samar, Northern Samar, Eastern Samar, and Southern Leyte. Participants in the program receive compensation at the daily minimum regional wage rate of PHP 405 for their involvement in training and project implementation, which includes 15 days of practical application in addition to a five-day training session.

Project LAWA specifically aims to enhance water access and management by constructing small farm reservoirs and rehabilitating water harvesting facilities. Meanwhile, Project BINHI focuses on improving food security through the introduction of climate-resilient agricultural practices like communal gardening, vermicomposting, and the planting of disaster-resilient crops.

These projects are strategically targeted at areas identified as vulnerable by the Cabinet Cluster on Climate Change and the climate outlook provided by the Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration. These areas are also those with the highest number of poor families as per the DSWD database, ensuring that aid is directed where it is most needed.