Metro Manila, CNN Philippines — The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is targeting 5.1 million poor families, or almost 30 million individuals, all over the Philippines for its 2015 Listahanan.
Listahanan is a database created by the National Household Targeting Office that identifies poor families for government support.
The recent study is based on an assessment of over 15 million households nationwide.
According to Listahanan, most of the poor are in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (573,446 poor households), Region VII (525,561 poor households) in the Visayas, and Region X (485,539 poor households) in Mindanao.
Of the total number of poor individuals aged 15 and above, over 15 million are in the labor force.
Social Welfare Sec. Corazon “Dinky” Soliman said Listahanan plays a vital role in identifying qualified beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps).
“[Ito ang] batayan ng publikong serbisyo para sa mahihirap — sino at nasaan sila para makabenepisyo sila ng 4Ps, Philhealth,” said Soliman.
[Translation: This is the basis of public service for the poor — who and where they are for them to avail of the merits of 4Ps, Philhealth.]
Also read: Fate of CCT program in the hands of next president – Soliman
This is the second Listahanan released by DSWD.
Authorities used the proxy means test to assess household incomes and identify poor families.
The Social Welfare Department said 36 percent or 1.5 million family beneficiaries of 4Ps have improved their status to non-poor.
However, DSWD clarified some in the non-poor category are still vulnerable or at risk of reverting back to poor status when faced with disasters or other economic factors.
Related: PH poverty incidence rate drops in 2015
