LISTAHANAN, the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s poverty assessment survey in Cordillera, has passed the halfway mark.
The department reported that 127,495 out of the target 244,181 households in the region have been assessed.
The assessment aims to provide authorities with a clearer picture of who the poor families are and where they reside.
Listahanan is 47.35 complete in Abra, 61.02 percent in Apayao, 54.15 percent in Benguet, 40.75 percent in Ifugao, 46.86 percent in Kalinga, and 70.77 percent in Mountain Province.
The Listahanan field staff reported that boundary conflicts in the region slowed down the assessment.
“What we encountered is that some people were claiming to be part of the neighboring barangay/municipality because they felt they are neglected by their own local government unit and that they receive more services from the neighboring barangay/municipality,” one Listahanan Area Supervisor said.
Similar issues were reported in some areas in Paracelis, Mt. Province, Conner, Apayao, and Lagawe, Ifugao.
Project Development Officer Euberto B. Gregorio of the National Household Targeting System the Listahanan follows political boundaries as defined by Philippine Standard Geographical Code of the Philippine Statistical Authority, “and not the ‘emotional boundaries’ as seen when people still identify themselves with other barangays aside from where they are located.”(Kaye Ann O. Mapalo)