The Department of Social Welfare and Development has turned-over the National Household Targeting System for Poverty Reduction (NHTS-PR) data to the municipality of Baras in Catanduanes last March 15, 2013.

Honorable Mayor Chito S. Chi and Municipal Social Welfare & Development Officer Ms. Jean Triumfante received the electronic copy of NHTS-PR data based on its first assessment in 2009.

NHTS-PR is an information management system that identify who and where the poor are in the country. The system makes database of poor households as reference in identifying potential beneficiaries of social protection programs. It aims to establish an objective targeting system and reduce the leakage of social services to non-poor and minimize exclusion of the poor.

The National Household Targeting Unit (NHTU) has identified 461,242 poor households covering the 6 provinces of Bicol region.

Pursuant to Executive Order No. 867 issued in March 2010 has directed all National Government Agencies (NGAs) to adopt the results of NHTS-PR in identifying prospective beneficiaries for their social protection programs nationwide.

A memorandum of agreement has been forged between DSWD Field Office 5 and the municipal government of Baras for the use of NHTS-PR data of poor households.

To date, the municipality of Baras was the first to sign a memorandum of agreement for the use of NHTS-PR data in the province of Catanduanes.

Furthermore, Mr.Abejuro informed the local government unit that in connection with the upcoming election, a moratorium on MOA signing was imposed relative to data sharing which already started from February 12 until May 13, 2013. This is being done to protect the integrity of the NHTS-PR database and to ensure its data utilization. ###crbarrameda