Regional Director Gemma B. Gabuya ((5th from left) awards the first Gawad Listahanan to the Provincial Government of Aurora under the Provincial Category during the 64th DSWD Anniversary celebration. Eleanor Olivar (6th from left), Provincial Planning and Development Officer IV receives the award in behalf of Governor Gerardo Noveras.

The province has registered 4,754 beneficiaries of its locally funded Educational Assistance Program in the Listahanan database of poor families. The Listahanan database serves as the province’s directory in targeting and selecting beneficiaries of the programs and services being implemented in the province. Also in photo are ARD Irene Crespo (3rd from left), former Director Adelina S. Apostol (4th from left) and DSWD Field Office staff.

(City of San Fernando, Pampanga) The Department of Social Welfare and Development Field Office III (DSWD FO III) conferred the first Gawad Listahanan to the Provincial Government of Aurora and the Municipality of Jaen, Nueva Ecija during the 64th DSWD Anniversary celebration held on February 6 in this city.

The Gawad Listahanan or the Data Utilization Awards is an award that aims to recognize Local Government Units (LGUs) as the Department’s data sharing partners and advocates of objective targeting of social protection beneficiaries. It confers award to LGUs for providing services and assistance to the Listahanan-identified poor families.

The municipality of Jaen replicated the social pension of the Department in their municipality to respond to the needs of many senior citizens who are not covered by the national government. Listahanan-identified poor senior citizens are the first priority of the municipality. Out of 990 indigent senior citizens listed on the database 770 are still alive and qualified for the assistance.

The Listahanan database became part of every program and services of the Municipality of Jaen. The focal person of each sector uses the database as priority in different services which they call as ‘Listahanan Habit’. The Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office (MSWDO) oriented all barangay captains of Jaen to fully understand and appreciate the importance of Listahanan.

On the other hand, the Provincial Government of Aurora (PGA) uses Listahanan database to identify their beneficiaries in their locally funded Educational Assistance Program. The program aims to supplement and augment educational needs through financial assistance to poor but deserving students.

To ensure the utilization of the Listahanan database, the PGA makes sure that the Listahanan identified poor are included and given priority. “The challenge for a local chief executive is not the provision or delivery of programs/projects of services to your constituents but it is in identifying who among them are the neediest so as not to miss anyone deserving help especially with the scarce resources. The Listahanan database of DSWD serves as directory in targeting and selecting beneficiaries vis a vis programs and services. As the chief executive, it helps me in investing and planning for the right intervention for the right clientele, unlike before when there is no available data and one has to guess,” Governor Gerardo A. Noveras said.

To qualify for the awards, the LGU must have an active Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the Department on Listahanan data sharing; it has funded and implemented a program that provides direct service/intervention to the Listahanan-identified poor, such as but not limited to Scholarship, Medical Assistance and Livelihood and Skills Training; and must be 100% compliant with the annual reportorial requirement of data sharing as specified in the MOA.
Currently, the DSWD Field Office III has 90 data users comprising of provincial governments, municipalities, cities and congressional districts.

Listahanan is an information management system that identifies who and where the poor are in the country. The system makes available to national government agencies and other social protection stakeholders a database of poor families as reference in identifying potential beneficiaries of social protection programs and services. (Alexis Myer I. Delicano)

(City of San Fernando, Pampanga) The Department of Social Welfare and Development Field Office III (DSWD FO III) is in need of 4,451 field staff, Regional Deputy Project Manager Lalaine R. De Leon said.

The hiring, which is in line with the conduct of the second round of household assessment in the first quarter of 2015, includes area supervisors, area coordinators, enumerators, encoders, and verifiers who will take part in ensuring that real poor households are selected, De Leon said. Central Luzon is one of the regions with large number of target households which is 1,451,248, De Leon added.

Listahanan also known as the National Household Targeting System for Poverty Reduction (NHTS-PR) database is updated every four years. It is an information management system that identifies who and where the poor in the country. The system makes available to national government agencies and other social protection stakeholders a database of poor households as reference in identifying potential beneficiaries of social protection programs like Pantawid Pamilya, Social Pension and Sustainable Livelihood Program.

For the past three (3) years, the National Household Targeting Office has implemented various activities that complete its project cycle. These activities resulted to the establishment of the database of 5.25 million poor households nationwide (322,622 identified poor households in Region 3), which became the basis for identifying beneficiaries of social protection programs of national government agencies.

The second round of household assessment aims to provide timely and updated data on poor households to public and private social protection stakeholders to enable them to develop and implement responsive policies, programs and services.
Interested applicants are required to submit their resume at the DSWD Field Office III or to the Social Welfare and Development (SWAD) Team located in the in the seven (7) the provinces of the region. Deadline for the submission of applications will be on February 28, 2015.(Alexis Myer I. Delicano)

The Department of Social Welfare and Development Field Office III (DSWD FO III) has spearheaded “Kaya Ko ang Pagbabago” Dance Competition which was participated by staff from the seven provinces of the region and a representative from the DSWD Field Office III based staff.

Kaya Ko ang Pagbabago campaign is an information and empowerment campaign that communicates the stories of change in the lives of the beneficiaries of the programs and services of DSWD. The campaign aims to gain support from different stakeholders to help sustain the gains of the programs and services of the department. The Kaya Ko ang Pagbabago Dance Competition was launched for the internal staff of DSWD to understand what is the campaign and be advocates of the DSWD programs and services.

Assistant Regional Director for Operations Irene C. Crespo was glad that all provinces have participated in the event and she also reminded them to enjoy the competition and that it will serve as an exercise for them as they temporarily leave their work and dance for their respective provinces.

Each group must interpret the Kaya Ko ang Pagbabago jingle without altering the music and dance steps provided to them. Pampanga finished the competition as they have placed first followed by the Field Office III and Zambales. Capping the event was the flash mob joined by all the participants and other DSWD FO III staff at Walter Mart Pampanga. # (Alexine Bianca RdS.Castañeda)

DSWD Field Office III has initiated a Convergence Jingle Making Contest last December 16, 2014 which was joined by four Provincial Action Teams (PAT). It is a part of the campaign of the Social Marketing Unit to advocate on the Convergence Strategy of the department.

The campaign is based in the same theme as last family day’s “Pamilyang Pilipino para sa Pagbabago: Tumatawid sa Kaunlaran” which would also highlight the importance of health and education in the fight against poverty.

Assistant Regional Director for Operations Irene C. Crespo welcomed the participants by congratulating them for accepting the challenge of making their own compositions and be the advocates of the department.She kiddingly said that the winner will represent the region for the national competition in 2016. ARDO Crespo added that “Andito tayo dahil sa commitment and dedication upang kilalanin ang hidden talents.”

Magandang Bukas by PAT Aurora has bagged the first place, the message of the song brings hope to the people highlighting what are the services being provided by the government especially with DSWD’s Core Social Protection Programs. PAT Nueva Ecija’s Sagot Kita placed second while Bataan’s Pantawid Pamilya: Simula ng Pagbabago and Zambales’ Lahat Makakaya have tied in the third place.#(Alexine Bianca RdS.Castañeda)

Ricky M. Decino has been the sole municipal link (ML) of Pulilan, Bulacan for two years. According to him he never expected that he would be part of the DSWD FO III family under the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program as an ML and how he would fall in love with his work.

In sharing his experiences as the municipal link “Isipin mo halos 2,000 beneficiaries ang hawak ko dito sa Pulilan, hindi biro yun at nag-iisa lang ako.” he narrated, “Lahat na ata ng klase ng reklamo narinig ko na, lalo na kapag nagkakaproblema sila sa mga natatanggap nilang grants. Nakaka-stress pero Masaya ako na ako ang na-assign ditto sa Pulilan, sobrang swerte ko sa mga tao ditto at ibayung suporta ng LGU dito.”

He also shared his project Perasa Basura, wherein the beneficiaries try to bring kalakal (recycable junk) such as plastic bottles, tin cans and old newspapers to be traded to junk shops in exchange for money. Ricky then would distribute the money to his parent leaders. He gives his 60 parent leaders a 25 peso load monthly and also provides them fares for commuting. “Hindi kasi tulad ng ibang bayan ang Pulilan, bibihira ang jeep at yung area ng mga parent leaders ko ay malalayo kaya minsan pamasahe sa tricycle P90.00 at P180.00 balikan.”

Beneficiaries also have their coin banks. From January to June they have earned enough money that ranges from P500.oo to P1,000.00 to buy their children’s school supply. Starting from July, the beneficiaries are already saving for the upcoming noche buena celebration of their family. “Masarap isipin na hindi mo iintindihin yung mga beneficiaries mo kung may kinakain sila o wala habang ikaw ay kumakain ng pang-noche buena. At least, kahit magkakalayo kayo alam mo masaya din yung Pasko nila.” said Ricky.

Family Development Session (FDS) is one of the three conditionalities of the program which aims to educate, empower and nurture families on familial and parental responsibilities. It also enhances the skills for parenthood and educates them positive values and attitudes for a better community involvement.

During the FDS of the group, beneficiaries were given a sheet of cartolina, 5 strips of scotch tape and a marker to build their dream house. Most of them have built a simple house and told that they do not need something fanciful but want a home with a complete family with a harmonious relationship. According to Ricky, it is better to conduct a 2-hour FDS by making the lessons filled with learning and laughter because it is easier for his beneficiaries to remember and learn from their sessions.

At the end of the session Ricky and beneficiaries have declared that “Kaya Ko ang Pagbabago” as they continue to walk in their paths towards their fight against poverty. (Alexine Bianca RdS.Castañeda) 12.10.14

“Magsikap, Magtipid pag nag-uumpisa sa pangkabuhayang proyekto at ang mga gastusin ay di dapat sosobra sa kinikita.”
The couple believes that through perseverance and simple living, their family will overcome poverty. This is the story of their transformation from sheer poverty to improved quality of life.
Looking Back

The Reyes family belongs to the Set 3 beneficiaries of Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program of Floridablanca, Pampanga in 2010. The family was however one of those tagged not enrolled resulting to non-subsidy for one (1) year. Upon completion of the requirements, they received retroactive payments of P15,000.00. Rizalita, 43, recalled that she cried with joy when she received the amount, “Nuon lang po ako nakahawak ng ganuong kalaking pera kaya nagpapasalamat ako sa pamahalaan sa tulong na ibinigay sa pamilya ko’’.

With the P15,000.00 cash grants on hand, the family prioritized the most important things which include the food and school supplies of their three children enrolled in the program; down payment of one motorcycle worth P3,400.00; and P6,000.00 as payment for the two Aetas whom they commissioned to plant ampalaya and string beans.

The family used the remaining P2,600.00 as capital in trading vegetables and charcoal from the upland areas to Guagua and Floridablanca public markets. After a month, they started harvesting the vegetables planted by the two Aetas which resulted to more sales and profit.

Rizalita recalled that the financial difficulty they had for a long time was their motivation for their hard work and for not spending any amount for unnecessary expenses.

Before their inclusion in the Pantawid Pamilya, Joseph Reyes, 45, worked as a farm laborer earning P200.00 a day during planting season and 4-5 sacks of rice during harvesting season. Rizalita used to do laundry jobs two or three times a week. Between planting and harvesting seasons, Joseph was jobless.

To cope with their basic needs, the family had to approach sari-sari store owners in the barangay for their daily food subsistence through credit basis. She said that they could hardly meet the educational expenses of their children especially during lean months of farming. “Life was so hard because of the rebuff we received from our relatives and neighbors whenever we tried to borrow money from them,” Rizalita lamented.

Their house is a one-room affair made of light materials, cogon and sawali. They sometimes experienced uncomfortable nights during rainy days because the strong rain would usually rouse them from sleep soaked with rain. They could not afford electricity so a lampara (improvised lamp) was all they had that time.

“We were a ‘nobody’ in the community because of our economic status. That’s why we felt very inferior and had to remain on the sidelines for so long,” Rizalita said.

Things took a turn for the better

With the income derived from our livelihood projects: planting rice to the agricultural lot pawned to us and the backyard piggery, we can now see positive changes in our living condition, Rizalita said. According to her, their monthly income now ranges from P30,000-40,000.00 and that they already finished paying the motorcycle with side car which they use in their business. Their second motorcycle, which is being used as school service for their children, is now on the second year of payment. “Our children are now comfortable in going to school because they don’t have to walk very far,” Rizalita said.

The construction of our three-bedroom house is now underway, Rizalita said with a happy note on her voice. Although their present dwelling is made of cogon and sawali, it is a far cry from the one they used to have, Rizalita
said. She recalled that during rainy days they experienced uncomfortable nights when the strong rain would usually rouse them from sleep and soaked with rain.

They could not afford electricity so a lampara (improvised lamp) was all they had that time. They can now afford to home appliances such as TV set and DVD player, electric fans, beds with mattresses, rice cooker and other small gadgets.

Rizalita added that she has gained confidence in dealing with people and can now express her ideas without fear of being rebuffed. She has to attribute this to the Family Development Sessions (FDS) and the trainings and seminars that she attended as a parent leader of the Pantawid Pamilya. As a result, she was elected as classroom secretary for her two sons enrolled in Grades IV and V. She is also one of the Barangay Health Workers in their community and was elected president of the Self-Employment Assistance Kaunlaran (SKA) because of her remarkable ideas during the Business Management Training (BMT) held in their town.

Meanwhile, Joseph personally attends to the agricultural lot pawned to them where they yield 30 sacks of palay every four months.
There is also a notable improvement in the health of their children because of the sufficient and nutritious food intake they have. Their academic standing in school has also improved, Rizalita proudly said.

Gains of the Sustainable Livelihood Program

In 2013, the family had also benefitted from the Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) of the DSWD which they invested (P10,000.00) in expanding their livelihood endeavor, cogon and buho trading. Rizalita said that they are getting an additional profit of P1,000.00 per week.

The couple who believes in the saying ‘save for the rainy days’ had opened a savings account after Rizalita’s attendance to the BMT. She was convinced on the importance of savings and had learned how to prioritize the needs of her family especially the education of her children.

Today the family earns more than enough for their basic needs. Rizalita has this lesson to impart to other beneficiaries of Pantawid Pamilya and Sustainable Livelihood Program: “Magsikap, magtipid pag nag-uumpisa sa pangkabuhayang proyekto at ang mga gastusin ay di dapat sosobra sa kinikita”. (SMU/SLP)

The Department of Social Welfare and Development Field Office III led the Regional Advisory Committee (RAC) in a field visit in the province of Nueva Ecija. RAC representatives coming from agencies like DepEd, DOH, DILG, DTI, NEDA, POPCOM and DOLE have joined the Regional Project Management Office in visiting Carranglan.

Carranglan Mayor Mary B. Abad, who warmly welcomed the RAC visiting members, thanked the committee for visiting their municipality for the first time. Mayor Abad also recalled that before Pantawid Pamilya was implemented in Carranglan they were ranked as the poorest area in Nueva Ecija. A cultural presentation from Kalanguya tribe has been presented, the dance rituals are only performed in special occasions, like birthdays, weddings and even death.

Assistant Regional Director for Operations Irene C. Crespo extended her gratitude to the staff and beneficiaries of the area and also acknowledged the effort of the RAC partners and the local government unit.

The RAC visiting members were divided into two groups and visited barangays Minuli and Capintalan to witness an actual Family Development Session.

In Capintalan, Riva Martin Felix taught her co-beneficiaries how to make a souvenir out of rock. Because of the abundance of rocks that they can pick beside the river, Riva said, “Lagi kasing nagpapa-project sa school ng mga bata kaya naisipan ko para may pera na magamit na pang-project yung mga anak namin.” Most of the souvenirs are raw materials from their surroundings like the rocks that they form to resemble a chair and dried gugo (a native tree that is extensively used for washing hair and hair tonics) were woven to form other products like baskets. The beneficiaries plan to sell each rock souvenir from 20-25 pesos.

Capintalan is in the boundary of Nueva Ecija and Nueva Vizcaya where80 out of 121 beneficiaries are members of tribes of Kalanguya, Kankana-ay and Igorot. Based on the observation of the group, the beneficiaries are not fully-prepared about the topics on family planning and immunization. Ms. Tomasa Lirio, Regional Program Coordinator of Pantawid Pamilya reminded the partners that they need to be culturally sensitive in the discussion about topics like Family Planning. Ms. Lirio also encouraged the beneficiaries to comply with immunization because it will not only benefit their children but because it is one of the conditionalities of the program. The beneficiaries gave a positive response on this.

Testimonials from selected beneficiaries were also presented to the RAC. Celia Mariano nervously read her testimony, “Baka po kasi hindi ako makapagsalita sa inyo ngayon kaya isinulat ko po ang aking kwento.” Most of her testimony contained gratitude to the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program saying “Malaki po ang naitulong ng Pantawid Pamilya sa aking Pamilya at natutunan ko na maaaring magpatingin sa health center. Sa mga pagdalo ko sa Family Development Session ay lalong lumawak ang aking natutunan at dito ay napag-aaralan kung papaano iaangat ang pamumuhay ng aming pamilya. Lalo akong nagpapasalamat dahil sa Pantawid Pamilya ay nakapasok sa DPWH ang aking asawa at sa patuloy na tulong na ibinibigay ninyo sa amin”.

In acknowledging the support of her municipal link Celia said, “Sa tulong po ng aming Municipal Link at Parent Leaders ay napakalaki ng aming natutunan. Labis-labis ang aking pasasalamat dahil nagpapakapagod kayo para matulungan kami”. ### (A.B. Castaneda)