DSWD preps for second batch of assessment for “Listahanan”

CEBU, Philippines -  The Department of Social Welfare and Development is set to conduct its second round of household assessments which will identify the poor and the near-poor families deserving of assistance from social protection programs and services.

In a press conference yesterday, DSWD Information Officer Kerwin Macopia explained that the program, “Listahanan or Talaan ng Pamilyang Nangangailangan”, provides a database of poor families in the country to national government agencies and other stakeholders in order to identify potential beneficiaries of their respective projects.

 â€œThe Philippines has experienced historically high economic growth in the recent years,” said Macopia, adding that the country has become the 43rd largest emerging markets in the world. 

However, this did not make a significant impact to the lives of the poor, Macopia said.

DSWD-7 regional information officer Leah Quintana said that the funds previously allocated for other projects went to waste.

“Nasayang ang kwarta nga gibutang sa mga niaging programa. Daghan ang wala ma-include nga mga pobre ug daghan sab ang nakasulod nga dili pobre.”

With this, they came up with a new strategy, the Listahanan or Talaan ng Pamilyang Nangangailangan.

“With Listahanan, ginasuyod nato ang mga households, giving face kung kinsa gyud ang mga kabus,” said Quintana.

In targeting the poor, they use the Proxy Means Test (PMT), a statistical model that approximates family income based on 52 observable and verifiable proxy indicators of the family’s income such as materials used in housing structure, family’s access to basic services and facilities like water and electricity, and ownership of specific assets.

They will be hiring more than 2,000 field staff as area coordinators, supervisors, enumerators, encoders and verifiers in realizing the said program.

The program will start after it will be given a go signal by President Benigno Aquino.

They will be targeting more than one million beneficiaries in a span of a month and if possible, will be extended if needed.—  Keizen Danica S. Arnado, CNU Comm Intern and Joeylen A. de la Cruz, NORSU MassCom Intern/ATO (FREEMAN)