Robredo: DSWD should have used ‘Listahanan’ for aid

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) could have distributed all the funds allocated for the poorest households during the pandemic had it made use of its “Listahanan” or the National Household Targeting System (NHTS) for Poverty Reduction database, Vice President Leni Robredo said yesterday.

Robredo made the remark following reports that the DSWD still has P10 billion left in its funds allocated for the second tranche of distribution of the social amelioration program.

“This (NHTS) will be the basis for us to locate the poor, those who need help. But it looks like we didn’t use it. It’s important to build a socio-economic profile, especially during a crisis like this. It is important that your choice of beneficiaries is not subjective, but is based on data,” Robredo said in an interview at Basta Batas of Vanguard Radio Network.

Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto noted at a recent hearing that the number of families who benefited from the second tranche of the distribution of pandemic cash aid was slashed from 18 million to 14 million families.

Social Welfare Secretary Rolando Bautista explained that only 14 million families were in the list, based on information provided by the local government units (LGUs) for the second tranche of the SAP.

Even with the DSWD as the lead agency for the implementation of the SAP, other agencies such as the Department of the Interior and Local Government played a vital role in identifying recipients of the aid.

“In identifying the target beneficiaries, our LGUs, particularly the barangay leaders, will do it. They are familiar with their constituents so they know who needs the aid,” DSWD spokesperson Irene Dumlao had said.

The DSWD plans to use its P10-billion unused funds for livelihood assistance grants, Dumlao said in an interview with TeleRadyo on Thursday.