| Through the years, Community-Driven Development (CDD) has been used to promote and implement a form of good governance in public service. This way, the principles of CDD are institutionalized through the efforts of those holding government positions. Studies related to the implementation of CDD have presented how these institutional efforts become achievable and successful in different communities, particularly third-world countries. In the Philippines, CDD is concretized through the efforts of the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) implementation of the Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (KALAHI-CIDSS). Among the provinces that implemented this program in local governance is Siquijor Island. As a subject matter of its study, the University of the Philippines Center for Integrative and Development Studies (UP-CIDS), through the Local-Regional Studies Network (LRSN), initiated a public forum with a focus group discussion (FGD) involving those in the KALAHI-CIDSS to probe for possible data and information that may contribute to mainstreaming CDD in DSWD’s KALAHI-CIDSS. It is known, however, that despite its positive feedback and effect on the community, it is set to terminate in the following year. Facilitators and volunteers expressed their weariness and anxiety about the effects of its termination. Hence, this paper is directed toward the positive impacts of CDD in their respective community through the implementation and practices of KALAHI-CIDSS. Further, this paper argues that the residents’ perception of CDD is limited to implementing KALAHI-CIDSS, particularly on achieving the four domains of CDD: transparency, participation, accountability, and inclusiveness (TPAI). Therefore, the researcher posits that the principles of CDD, including its domains, go beyond implementing programs of the DSWD. Thus, despite the nearing termination of KALAHI-CIDSS, CDD can be mainstreamed as a principle for good governance. This paper is divided into three parts. First, it will discuss CDD as a principle for good governance and how it is concretized through the implementation of the DSWD’s KALAHI-CIDSS program. Second, it will present the narratives and experiences gathered from an FGD with individuals involved in the KALAHI-CIDSS program, namely, the community facilitators and volunteers. Third, it will argue that CDD should transcend government programs as a key principle of good governance, i.e., it should not be limited to the terms of government programs such as the DSWD’s KALAHI-CIDSS. Despite its nearing termination, CDD can be mainstreamed to attain good governance, especially in local government units, by aligning with its key principles: transparency, participation, accountability, and inclusiveness. |