The Department of Social Welfare and Development Region VI recently launched its database of poor households.

Dubbed Listahanan, also known as National Household Targeting System for Poverty Reduction or NHTS-PR, the database is a comprehensive record of households that gives a name and a face to the poor.

The launching of the database, with the theme, “Tuloy ang Pagbabago,” was conducted at Sarabia Manor Hotel and Convention Center.

“We want to have a unified mechanism for targeting beneficiaries of social protection programs,” said Undersecretary Florita Villar of DSWD Central Office.

Villar said that this is the result of the second round of assessment. The house-to-house enumeration was done sometime in May to July last year.

The first round was  conducted in 2009.

Aside from the profile of poor households, important facts or demographics such as how many of the individuals in the identified poor households are children, senior citizens, out-of-school youths, employed or unemployed and how many of them belong to an indigenous or ethnic group can be generated through the database.

The said event was participated by representatives from LGUs in Western Visayas, National Government Agencies (NGAs) such as the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA), Population Commision  (POPCOM),  Technical Education Skills Development Authority (TESDA), Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), State Universities and Colleges, Civil Society Organizations, Non-Government Organizations (NGOs) and media partners.

The highlight of the event was the presentation of the profile of the poor in western visayas.

 

106 LGUs, NGAs use database

Records of the regional office shows that 106 Local Government Units (LGUs) and NGAs have utilized the database of Listahanan.

“We are glad that many of the LGUs and organizations have used the database. Indeed, it is a strategic way of targeting beneficiaries because the resources are not wasted as they go to those who need the help most,” said Rebecca P. Geamala, regional director.

Geamala also called those who were present during the launching activity to access the latest database.

“With the updated database, we look forward to more data users. In the end, we want resources to go to those who need them most,” said Geamala.

Among current users of Listahanan are Philhealth, which uses the database in identification of indigent beneficiaries; Department of Health (DOH), in prioritizing health services; Cabatuan municipality, in selecting beneficiaries for provision of maintenance medicines for those with diabetes and hypertension./dswd6/MerryJezzelBrendia