The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) was lauded by World Bank during the Listahanan launching on Tuesday at the Manila Hotel.

The World Bank recognizes Listahanan as a leading “good practice example” for a growing number of countries that aspire to introduce a database.

Listahanan is the country’s information system that identifies who and where the poor are. It has been the baseline for programs to the poorest and the most vulnerable such as DSWD’s Pantawid Pamilya Pilipino Program and Philhealth.

According to World Bank Country Director Mara Warwick, the launching of the new database is an instrument that places the Philippines at the forefront of global experience in national household targeting for poverty reduction.

“The Philippines has taken significant steps forward in transparency and good governance and Listahanan stands out among the factors that are helping to drive these advances,” said Warmwick in her speech.

She also said that the Philippines and Brazil are the only two countries in the world to have succeeded in establishing a comprehensive database or “social registry” to identify poor and vulnerable beneficiaries of government programs.
The launch of Listahanan 2 marks the successful completion of an enormous effort undertaken in 2015 by DSWD with support from the World Bank and the Australian Government.

The World Bank supported the Listahanan since its conception in 2008, including assisting DSWD to develop and update the targeting mechanism, establish and strengthen operational procedures, and implement Listahanan 2010 and 2015.

“We consider Listahanan an important pillar for continued institutional development in the Philippines, one that helps to secure efficient and effective use of government resources and enables transparent, objective and fair identification of poor and vulnerable beneficiaries of government programs” added Warmwick.

The Listahanan second round of assessment covered 15.1 million households of which 5.1 million was identified as poor.
The assessment covered families in all rural and urban areas in 17 regions, 80 provinces, 1,491 municipalities, 143 cities and 42, 028 barangays.

According to DSWD Secretary Dinky Soliman, Listahanan is a tool that really puts a face to the poor.
She said that out of the 4.2 million Pantawid Pamilya assessed in 2008, 1.5 million families are now with improved well-being based on latest Listahanan assessment.

Information available in the Listahanan database includes disaggregated data on families and other information such as access to safe water and electricity, quality of housing materials, tenure status of the family’s house and lot and their specific occupation, etc.

Listahanan shares the available database to stakeholders at no cost. Information such as statistics and magnitude can be obtained through a data request. However, the list of poor families with names and household members shall be shared only upon execution of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between DSWD and the data user.

Meanwhile, launching of the Listahanan database in the regional level shall be done in May.###