In a bid to intensify the implementation of the Project Local Adaptation to Water Access (LAWA) and Breaking Insufficiency through Nutritious Harvest for the Impoverished (BINHI) this 2026, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) conducted a site visit and learning immersion at a project site in Barangay Quezon, San Carlos City, Negros Occidental.
Director Maria Isabel Lanada of the Disaster Response Management Bureau (DRMB) led the DSWD team which conducted the visit at the Project LAWA at BINHI site of the Initihan River Irrigators Association Inc. (IRIA) last January 14.
The IRIA is a 130-member farmers’ organization established in 2017 that currently supports 50 partner-beneficiaries. The association also manages irrigated rice fields and communal gardens using sustainable and organic farming practices.
Asst. Secretary Irene Dumlao of the DSWD’s Disaster Response Management Group (DRMG) said the Project LAWA at BINHI site in San Carlos City is considered a model and tangible proof of the project’s impact.
“The site in San Carlos City is recognized as a model and learning site by partner institutions. Way back in the 2025 Risk Resiliency Program—Climate Adaptation and Mitigation review, na-awardan din sila as best Project LAWA at BINHI site ng City Agriculture Office and PhilRice Negros Occidental,” the DRMG assistant secretary, who is also the DSWD spokesperson, said on Monday (January 19).
Asst. Secretary Dumlao said the San Carlos City project site plays a vital role in providing a sustainable source of livelihood for its partner-beneficiaries.
“From mid-November to December 2025, mayroon ng harvested na 285 kilos of tilapia, at 1000 kilos ng vegetables itong LAWA at BINHI site sa San Carlos City. In a span of almost 2 months madami na ito,” Asst. Secretary Dumlao pointed out.
The site also implements several key initiatives, including a 600-square-meter small farm reservoir (SFR) under LAWA.
The project also established a 500-square-meter communal vegetable garden, an integrated tilapia production system, and a club garden under BINHI that utilizes water from the LAWA facility.
With the San Carlos project site as an inspiration, the DSWD’s Project LAWA at BINHI plans to further improve its implementation to better help the country’s most vulnerable communities adapt to climate change and eventually contribute to food production.
Through Project LAWA at BINHI, 540 million kilograms of harvested fresh produce are targeted to be achieved in 2026 by 120,000 partner-beneficiaries of the project nationwide.
In 2025, the Department completed 156 projects under LAWA nationwide, while BINHI recorded 161 completed projects.
The Department has already turned over all completed projects to the partner-beneficiaries for management and sustainability.
Project LAWA at BINHI serves as the flagship intervention of the DSWD to strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity among poor and vulnerable families facing climate change and disaster risks.
Project LAWA provides communities with a reliable water resource during the dry season, and acts as a portable water source for the community, while Project BINHI complements the initiative by supporting the production of vegetables, root crops, and fruit-bearing trees. (KB)
