Legazpi City – Acknowledging the database of economically disadvantaged households’ vital significance in combating poverty’s various forms, the Local Government Unit (LGU) of Palanas, Masbate headed by Hon. Roscelle Alvarez Eramiz, inked a partnership with the DSWD Field Office V through the National Household Targeting Section on the utilization of the Listahanan 3 database by entering into a data-sharing agreement.

On August 10, 2023, the Listahanan Regional Project Management Office (RPMO) conducted an orientation regarding the Listahanan 3 data-sharing guidelines and a glance at the recent magnitude of poor in the province of Masbate. The activity was participated by all the department heads of the Municipality of Palanas represented by Ms. Annie S. Alvarez, Municipal Administrator.

The Listahanan 3 data shows that among the 184,114 households assessed in Masbate, 96,499 were identified as poor. Among its municipalities, Palanas obtains 2,836 poor families.

According to MSWDO Head, Ms. Gretchen Pampilon Ariban, RSW, the Listahanan 3 data will be utilized and maximized in the effective implementation of all the social protection programs and services of the municipality.

As an information management system, Listahanan formulates a uniform set of criteria for identifying poor households and families in the country through scientific means and maximizes the benefits of social protection programs by developing evidence-based services for the poor.

It minimizes the wastage of resources by ensuring that only those who are deserving benefit from social protection programs, and facilitates the sharing of the high-quality database to public and private social protection stakeholders.

The municipality of Palanas is the first LGU in Masbate Province that obtain the Listahanan database.