22nd NSM Highlights Social Protection Statistics; NHTS-PR Database Launched
(posted 06 Oct 2011)

The celebration of the 22nd National Statistical Month (NSM) in Region XII kicks off with a motorcade last October 3, 2011 around Koronadal City’s major thoroughfares. About 150 participants coming from various regional lines agencies, local government units, the academe, and private sector participated. The motorcade ended up at the South Cotabato Provincial Technology Center (ProTech) for the formal Opening Ceremonies.

This year’s NSM theme “QUALITY SOCIAL PROTECTION STATISTICS FOR FOCUSED TARGETING: Improving Outcomes, Changing Lives” underscores the importance of statistics in the formulation and implementation of social protection programs and services. The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) XII, headed by Regional Director Zorahayda T. Taha, graciously hosted the Opening Ceremonies. 

The NSM opening in the region became more significant due to the launching of the DSWD XII’s National Household Targeting System for Poverty Reduction (NHTS-PR) database. The NHTS-PR database is an information management system aimed at creating an objective and transparent database of poor households that will serve as guide in identifying beneficiaries of the government's social protection programs.

The NSM opening event in the region is spearheaded by the Regional Statistical Coordination Committee (RSCC) XII, headed by its Chairperson, NEDA XII Regional Director Teresita Socorro C. Ramos. Dir. Ramos, in her opening message, said that the annual observance of the NSM is an official recognition of the crucial role of statistics in nation building. She said that the year’s NSM theme highlights the government’s vigorous efforts in aggressively addressing poverty problems in the country through a more evidence-based planning and rationalized decision-making. 

Special guests during the event were South Cotabato Governor Arthur Y. Pingoy, Jr. represented by Provincial Administrator Isidro J. Janita, and Korodanal City Mayor Peter B. Miguel. The two Local Chief Executives, in their messages, stressed the importance of statistics in local governance and added that giving faces to statistics would ensure that social protection programs and services would really benefit those who need them the most. 

Dir. Taha led the database launching of the NHTS-PR in Region XII. According to Dir. Taha, the DSWD’s Pantawid Pamilya Pilipino Program (4Ps) and Social Pension for Indigent Senior Citizens are both using NHTS-PR data in identifying their beneficiaries. She pointed out that both the PhilHealth and the Department of Health (DOH) have entered into a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with DSWD on the use of NHTS-PR data in the implementation of their social protection programs. According to her, the DSWD is ready to share the NHTS-PR database with other partner agencies and stakeholders especially those in frontline services for a more focused and convergent delivery of basic government programs and services.

DSWD XII’s 4Ps Deputy Manager Monera H. Lidasan enunciated how the DSWD has been pursuing an aggressive anti-poverty intervention program to uplift the economic status of the poorest families across the country. According to Ms. Lidasan, the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program is a poverty reduction and social development strategy of the national government that provides conditional cash grants to extremely poor households to improve their health, nutrition and education particularly of children aged 0-14. She cited how the NHTS-PR database helped in the implementation of the 4Ps especially in identifying the poorest of the poor as beneficiaries of the conditional cash transfer program. Under the CCT, a household beneficiary is entitled a monthly grant of P1,400 broken down as follows: P500 for the mother and P300 per child for a maximum of three kids. 

PhilHealth Vice President for Mindanao Ramon F. Aristoza, Jr. also lauded the NHTS-PR Database as a beneficial instrument in the implementation of PhilHealth’s mandate of giving every Filipino in the country access to quality healthcare. The various PhilHealth offices nationwide were instructed to ensure that poor households identified under the NHTS-PR project of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) be registered for coverage under the National Health Insurance Program (NHIP) and fast track issuance of cards thereof. To this effect, he added, that PhilHealth issued Board Resolution No. 1478, s. 2011 approving "Special Contributions Rates for Calendar Year 2011 on the Enrollment of Indigents under the National Household Targeting System for Poverty Reduction (NHTS-PR) of the DSWD and on the Renewal of Existing Sponsored Program Members in Calendar Year 2010". According to Mr. Aristoza, under the Memorandum of Agreement, DSWD provided PhilHealth with the list of poor households from the NHTS-PR which they used as basis for identifying the beneficiaries of NHIP under the Sponsored Program. PhilHealth was able to identify indigent families that must be provided with free health cards valid for one year. 

The PhilHealth cards can be used to avail of outpatient care services, 6-month treatment for tuberculosis, maternity related benefits including pre-natal to post-natal care, and family planning services, hospitalization benefits to cover room and board, drugs and medicines, x-ray, laboratory, including doctors' fees, surgical procedures from hospitals and other accredited health care providers.

Ms. Herlita G. Caraan, Regional Head of the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB) - XII, presented during the opening program, the region's progress in terms of attainment of the MDGs. She cited the areas that the region must focus on to ensure that MDG targets can be attained between now and 2015. 

RSCC-XII Co-Chairperson NSO-XII Regional Director Magtahar L. Manulon extended his deepest appreciation to all those who supported the activity and invited everyone to actively participate in the various activities lined up for the month-long celebration. He also enjoined concerned agencies to extend necessary assistance to the DSWD to better improve the information system.

The NSM is celebrated annually to promote, enhance and instill nationwide awareness and appreciation of the importance and value of statistics and at the same time ensure the support of the public in improving and enhancing the quality and standards of statistics in the country. It was first observed in 1990 pursuant to Presidential Proclamation No. 647, Declaring the Month of October of Every Year as the National Statistics Month.