The Local Government Unit (LGU) of San Fernando in the province of Romblon has taken a significant step towards addressing poverty in the municipality.
They have entered into a data-sharing agreement (DSA) with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) MIMAROPA to gain access to the Listahanan 3 list of the poor.
The Municipal Sangguniang Bayan Resolution 133 has authorized the local chief executive to forge this agreement with the Department, allowing them to access the list of impoverished individuals in San Fernando based on the results of the Listahanan third-round household assessment.
Mayor Nanette Tansingco expressed her belief in the effectiveness of Listahanan as a valuable tool for implementing the municipality's thrusts and programs.
Listahanan is a government mechanism that employs scientific methods to identify and locate those living in poverty.
According to the data, out of the 4,946 households assessed in San Fernando, 2,645 (53.5%) are classified as poor, which corresponds to 14,455 individuals. The Listahanan 3 database also sheds light on specific details within the municipality. It reveals that the barangays of Taclobo, España, and Otod have the highest number of poor households.
Mayor Tansingco emphasized the importance of the DSWD database, which aims to optimize the impact of social protection services while minimizing resource wastage.
In terms of material assets, the data shows that 69% of poor households have cell phones, 44% have televisions, and 24% have radios.
On the other hand, 20.1% of households lacking access to electricity are mostly concentrated in barangay Taclobo. Sanitation facilities are another area of concern, as one in every 10 poor households does not have proper toilet facilities, resorting to open pit and pail systems for waste disposal.
Mayor Tansingco assured the full support of the Local Government of San Fernando for Listahanan. They are committed to upholding their service brand identity, “Serbisyo Nga Malapit sa Tawo” (Service Close to the People).
The Listahanan 3 database will serve as a valuable resource for planning, budgeting, local investments, and programming. It can also be utilized for academic research and as a registry of potential beneficiaries for various social protection programs.
