CALAPAN CITY- The Listahanan of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) MiMaRoPa named Provincial Government of Palawan and Oriental Mindoro as regional champions of the first ever search for Gawad Listahanan Provincial Category.

“This award recognizes the effort of the local government units (LGUs) in promoting the Department’s convergence of all social protection programs in addressing poverty using the Listahanan database,” said DSWD Regional Director Wilma D. Naviamos during the awarding ceremony held in Filipiniana hotel last November 7, 2014.

Listahanan National Project Manager Vincent Andrew T. Leyson said that Gawad Listahanan is a mechanism of the project to gather feedback reports on data utilization from LGUs who received data of poor households based on 2009 nationwide assessment.

Palawan and Oriental Mindoro who will also compete at the national level, each received Php15, 000 cash prize, plaques and certificates while Romblon Province, also this year’s first runner-up received Php10, 000, plaque and certificate.

Winners are judged based on their compliance to the Data Sharing Agreement; integration of Listahanan data in local advocacy activities; and innovative practice where the data of poor households are used as basis in crafting local development plans.

Provincial Government of Palawan utilizes Listahanan-identified poor in the implementation of the Enhanced Social Pension for Indigent Senior Citizens called “Lingap para kay Lolo and Lola. The said localized program gives monthly stipends to poor adults in the province amounting to Php200.00. Similarly, the province of Oriental Mindoro implemented the localized Philhealth program utilizing the database in identification of beneficiaries.

Gawad Listahanan will be an annual search of the Department to motivate local social protection program implementers to utilize Listahanan list of poor families.

The activity was attended by representatives from government agencies such as Philippine Statistics Authority, Department of Labor and Employment, Department of Science and Technology and Philippine Information Agency. Local Social Welfare and Development Officers representing the LGUs in Mindoro and local media were also present. ###Jason Eco Oliverio, DSWD MiMaRoPa