ISSN: 1908-6989 ISSN: 1908-6989 Network CBMSCBMSCBMSUpdates www.pep-net.org Vol. V No. 1, December 2007 The Many Faces of Poverty in Eastern * Henry Afable and Marsmath Baris, Jr.**

Cover photo (left): Daily scenes of rural life in the Province of . (Source: www.batch2006.com)

Inside In 2006, the Community-Based Of the total population, about 176,798 or News Updates - Monitoring System (CBMS) was 51.7 percent are male while 165,032 or CBMS gains foothold in Bicol 8 implemented in Eastern Samar. The 48.3 percent are female. Males outnumber partial results of the CBMS survey their female counterparts with a sex ratio covering 94 percent of the total number of 107.1 males for every 100 females. This of barangays in the whole province (562 is higher than the national sex ratio of out of 597) are now available. This article 101.43 recorded in the 2000 Census on presents a summary of these partial Population and Housing. results. LGU reaps Population Profile CBMS core indicators benefits of CBMS 10 Based on the available results, Eastern Table 1 summarizes the list of CBMS core Samar has a population of 341,830 and a indicators for the province of Eastern total of 70,523 households with an Samar. Each indicator is discussed in average of 4.8 persons per household. greater detail in the succeeding paragraphs. City, the provincial capital, has the largest population in Eastern Samar, Child Deaths contributing 15.0 percent, followed by Of the 49,495 children under five years MIMAROPA RDC sees increased (10.9 percent), Oras (7.7 of age, 384 or 0.8 percent died 12 months role of CBMS 11 percent), Llorente (5.3 percent) and Can- before the census period. Overall, the avid (5.3 percent). The least populous percentage of male child deaths was 55.5 municipality meanwhile, is (1.1 percent while that of female child deaths percent). was 44.5 percent. < next page

* Excerpts from the paper on the partial results of the consolidation of the CBMS data of 562 out of 597 barangays in the Province of Eastern Samar. Note that the ranking of the top five municipalities in terms of population may not yet be consistent with the results of the 2000 Census on Population and Housing pending submission of CBMS data from the remaining 35 barangays. Call for project ** Provincial Planning and Development Coordinator of the Province of Eastern Samar and Researcher, proposals 12 CBMS Network Coordinating Team. Research Results

The province recorded a total of 2,568 Table 1. Summary of informal settler or squatter CBMS Core households. In terms of magnitude, Indicators, most of these informal settlers can be Eastern Samar, found in Borongan City (13.7 percent). 2006 In terms of proportion to households, meanwhile, the highest was observed in Brgy. Gayam in the Municipality of Taft where 96 percent or 48 out of 50 households were considered squatters. The least number of squatters, on the other hand, was in with only 24 squatter households out of a total of 1,762. Moreover, only 3 out of 561 barangays namely, Barangays Naga, Cambilla and 4 in the Municipalities of Oras, and , respectively, registered zero cases of squatter households. Among the municipalities, There was almost parity between male had the highest under-five mortality and female who are malnourished (50.3 Access to safe water rate where 58 out of its 941 children percent for males and 49.7 percent for The 2006 CBMS survey revealed that 2 died before they reached age five. On females). out of 10 households in the entire theother hand, Mercedes had a zero province have no access to safe water. under-five mortality rate. Across municipalities, the highest This problem is magnified in the proportion of malnourished children Municipality of Maslog where all of its Meanwhile, among the 562 barangays, was recorded in Jipapad with more 680 households have no access to safe Brgy. 13 Poblacion in Salcedo recorded than 50 percent of children 0-5 years water. the highest proportion of child old being moderately or severely mortality with 4 deaths out of 22 underweight. Meanwhile, Brgy. Meanwhile, a total of 32 barangays in children under five years of age. Recare, also in Jipapad suffered from the province are entirely without severe malnutrition with 62 out of 67 access to safe water which affects a Women deaths children being malnourished. total of 2,215 households. On the other hand, 21.4 percent or 120 out of 561 There were a total of 72 cases of women Households living in makeshift barangays in the province reported deaths due to pregnancy-related housing having already access to safe water. causes in the province. The highest proportion of maternal deaths was Among the province’s 70,523 The main sources of drinking water observed in Jipapad where 7 out of 166 households, 2.7 percent lived in houses were shared faucet from community women died of complications related whose walls and roofs were made of water system (30.95 percent), shared to pregnancy and child birth. makeshift materials. artesian well (21.88 pecent) and shared Meanwhile, the municipalities of deep well (9.74 percent). , Mercedes and recorded The Municipality of Can-avid registered zero maternal deaths. the highest proportion of households living in makeshift housing while Access to sanitary toilet facilities among barangays, the highest Malnourished children proportion was recorded in Brgy. Mina- The proportion of households with anod in the Municipality of LLorente. own water-sealed flush to sewerage/ A total of 2,965 out of the 49,495 septic tank was 54.42 percent. Of the children in the province whose ages Households that are informal 23 municipalities comprising the ranged from 0 to 5 are malnourished. settlers/squatters province of Eastern Samar, Maslog

2 CBMS Network Updates December 2007 Research Results recorded the highest proportion of Meanwhile, all children aged 13-16 Meanwhile, all households in at least 5 households without access to sanitary years old in at least three barangays in barangays in the province had incomes toilet facilities, with 57.6 percent or the province were not attending high below the poverty threshold. Two of 392 out of 680 households without school. Two of these affected barangays these barangays are in Borongan City. access. At the level of barangays, 2 are in the Municipality of Maslog. The city however, also registered the (Brgys. San Isidro and San Miguel in lowest poverty incidence at 47.2 the Municipalities of Lawaan and Only one in the entire percent. Across barangays, Brgy. Giporlos, respectively) had no access province registered 100 percent Trinidad in the Municipality of Oras to sanitary toilets. Only 15 out of the secondary school participation: Brgy. posted the lowest poverty incidence at 562 barangays in the whole province 5 Poblacion in the Municipality of 3.6 percent. reported having access to sanitary Llorente. toilets. Households with income below Male non-participation rate in high the food threshold Elementary school non- school exceeded that of females at 60.4 participation percent vs. 39.6 percent. The subsistence incidence in the The elementary non-participation rate province was posted at 52.6 percent, meaning that more than half of the of school-aged children (6-12 years School non-participation of old) in the Province of Eastern Samar households in Eastern Samar had children aged 6-16 years old incomes that cannot provide for their stood at 23.5 percent. This means that basic food requirements. 2 out of every 10 children in the A total of 16,820 out of 101,421 province are not attending children in the province aged 6-16 Jipapad, and Hernani were the elementary school. years old are not attending school with the highest proportion among top 3 municipalities with the highest subsistence incidence rates, while, This problem is especially prevalent in municipalities recorded in the Borongan City registered the lowest the Municipality of Hernani where the Municipality of Hernani at 34 percent subsistence incidence at 36.3 percent. elementary non-participation rate is or 789 out of 2,321 children while at All 23 municipalities had subsistence almost twice the provincial average. the barangay-level, this problem was incidence rates in the double-digit Among barangays, the highest very prevalent in Brgy. Padang, also in range. proportion of children aged 6-12 years the Municipality of Hernani where 97.4 old who are not attending elementary percent or 261 out of 268 children Across barangays, the highest school was registered in Brgy. Padang were not attending school. proportion of households with income in the same municipality. Out of 187 below the food threshold (P9,442 Rural children, 181 or 96.8 percent were not / P9,430 Urban) was observed in Brgy. going to elementary school. Households with income below the poverty threshold San Andres in Borongan City where 98% or 99 out of 101 households had Secondary school non- Poverty incidence or the proportion of incomes that cannot meet their basic participation households with income below the food requirements. poverty threshold (P13,257 for Rural For secondary school non- and P13,704 for Urban) in the province participation rate of children aged 13- stood at 63.5 percent or a total of Food shortage 16 years old, the figure stood at 43.2 44,773 out of 70,523 households. A total of 10,120 out of 70,523 percent, meaning that 4 out of every households in Eastern Samar 10 children in this age range were not Except for 8 municipalities, all experienced food shortage. A wide attending high school. municipalities in the province had disparity among municipalities was poverty incidence rates that exceeded observed, ranging from a high of 68.4 This problem was widely felt in Maslog the provincial figure, with Jipapad, percent (Maslog) to a low of 4.2 where 78 percent or 294 out of 377 Maslog and Arteche topping the list at percent (Dolores). Only 11 children were not attending secondary 84.2 percent, 80.6 percent and 77.2 municipalities had incidence rates of schools. percent, respectively. food shortage that were less than the provincial average of 14.3 percent. < next page

CBMS Network Updates 3 December 2007 Research Results

Across barangays, the highest indicators: prevalence of child proportion of household which CBMS simple composite indicator malnourishment, incidence of experienced food shortage during the households living in makeshift past three months before the survey The CBMS simple composite indicator housing and households regarded as period was registered in Brgy. (SCI) essetially summarizes the informal settlers. Not withstanding Mabuhay in the Municipality of Oras characteristics of each population unit this, a watchful eye is still needed (95.2 percent or 99 out of 104 by just counting the number of with respect to the following households). unattained indicators out of the 14 situation particularly for local core indicators of CBMS. This is government units that are lagging particularly useful for planners and behind: Unemployment policy implementers at the local level who need to derive a ranking of The Municipality of Jipapad posted The number of persons in the labor households, puroks and barangays to a 54.5 percent child malnourishment force in Eastern Samar who were 15 facilitate the targeting of their anti- rate which is almost twice the national years old and above and were either poverty programs. average. At the barangay level, a total employed or unemployed at the time of 31 barangays had proportions of of the survey was registered at The SCI at the household level is simply underweight children higher than the 124,587. derived by assigning the values of zero national average of 27.6 percent. (0) for attained and one (1) for At least 10 barangays in the Meanwhile, the number of unemployed unattained indicators. With a minimum province registered proportions of was recorded at 25,092 which resulted of zero (0) and maximum of fourteen households living in makeshift in the provincial unemployment rate (14), a ranking of households can thus housing that are higher than the of 20.1 percent. Of the 25,092 be derived. national figure. unemployed , 45.6 percent were male Four barangays posted proportions and 54.4 percent were female. All 23 Approximately, 57 percent (13 out of of informal settler households that are municipalities exhibited double-digit 23) and 54 percent (286 out of 527) of much higher than the 35.6 percent unemployment rates, with Hernani the total municipalities and barangays, recorded in the Annual Poverty recording the highest proportion of respectively, have simple composite Indicator Survey (APIS) conducted in the unemployed. indices (or the number of unmet needs) 2004. that are much higher than the At the barangay level, this problem provincial average of 2.5 percent. was widespread in Brgy. Bacjao in the Poverty Reduction Framework Municipality of where 70.6 of the Province of Eastern Samar percent were unemployed. Benchmarking Eastern Samar’s performance Poverty reduction remains a major Table 2 compares the performance of challenge faced by the provincial Victims of Crime the Province of Eastern Samar, based government of Eastern Samar. While a on the indicators on health, housing, report from the National Census and Out of the total population of water and sanitation, income and Coordination Board (NSCB) revealed 341,830, a total of 1,409 persons were employment, vis-a-vis similar that poverty incidence in the province victims of crime. About 66.1 percent indicators from regional and national declined from 45.8 percent in 2000 to of these victims were male while 33.9 censuses and representative surveys. 33.9 percent in 2003, the latest CBMS were female. As clearly shown, the province had survey results showed a much higher exceeded regional and national figures rate. The CBMS data showed a The highest proportion of persons who in 5 and 7 out of 10 indicators, comprehensive picture of the different were victims of crime was registered respectively. dimensions of poverty in the province in the Municipality of Oras at 2.1 not only in terms of income but also in percent and in Brgy. Minap-os in the Meanwhile, the province had very terms of poverty dimensions like basic Municipality of Oras at 30.4 percent. good performance on the following education, health and nutrition,

4 CBMS Network Updates December 2007 Research Results housing, water and sanitation access, of donor and government resources Poverty profiles of municipalities and other social indicators. makes it all the more imperative to should include information on the have a convergence of efforts and assets base of the poor. After having known the nature and collaboration among poverty extent of poverty in the province as reduction stakeholders. Service delivery improvement. There is well as who the poor are, where they a need to review existing interventions are, and why they are poor, there is In response to this, the Eastern Samar in the province to increase now a need to provide directions for Reduction Program, as shown in effectiveness, and expand and refocus cooperation, coordination and Figure 1,provides guidelines in the them in a convergent manner to collaboration among stakeholders to planning and implementation of poverty areas for better impact on the achieve a unified stand in addressing poverty reduction interventions in the lives of the poor. core issues of poverty. form of policies, programs and projects. It presents the goals and Increase and intensify the pro-poor Many poverty reduction programs targets to be achieved by 2015, the focus of programs and projects. There is and projects have been implemented strategies, and priority actions (see a need to increase the opportunities in the province by foreign donors, Box 1). for the poor to be freed from their national agencies, non-government poverty situation. This should be organizations, and the local Priority Actions emphasized in the following sectors government units. These Poverty assessment and profiling using for sustainable economic growth and interventions, however, have been CBMS as main tool. Poverty profiles equitable social development: largely implemented in isolation from need to be updated regularly to serve each other, thus reducing the impact as guide in policy formulation asnd Agriculture and Fisheries in dealing with the many forms of focused targeting of poverty groups. The agriculture sector has the biggest poverty in Eastern Samar. The scarcity potential for employment generation. Farmers need to be assisted in various Table 2. Comparison of the Performance of Eastern Samar on Selected Indicators with manner such as in achieving high Similar Indicators from National Censuses and Representative Surveys productivity through access to cost- effective appropriate technologies and gaining access to more markets for their products as well as to credit facilities. The Agrarian Reform Community approach of support services needs to be replicated and expanded as an effective way of addressing the needs of the agriculture sector.

Small-sized farms need to be consolidated into larger production units for economy of scale and higher productivity. The utilization of idle public lands for productive purpose should be explored.

The campaign against destructive fishing methods needs to be intensified. There is a decreasing productivity in the fishery sector especially in municipal waters as a

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CBMS Network Updates 5 December 2007 Research Results result of the destruction of coral reefs advantage that the province can include building more schools and and mangroves, and overfishing. exploit. equipping them with basic facilities, assigning more teachers in these areas, Health and Nutrition Trade and Industry and improving the capability of Current health programs and projects Micro and small industries need to be teachers and administrators. The on the improvement of health encouraged and supported as major expansion and improvement of Early facilities, immunization, nutrition, income and livelihood sources. The Childhood Care and Development reproductive health and primary vast resources in the province need to Program shall also be prioritized. be transformed into marketable health care shall be improved and expanded to benefit the poor. The finished products for value adding. Tertiary institutions shall be indigent health insurance program of Technology support, credit facilities, encouraged to reposition themselves PhilHealth shall be supported by local and market linkage are some of the to offer school curricula that are government units through enrollment assistance that can be given to the responsive to the development needs of of more indigents and provision of sector. the province. subsidies. Tourism The Special Education Fund of LGUs The water and sanitation programs shall Eco-tourism has the potential of shall be utilized to improve basic likewise be given extra push to helping the poor improve their lives education in the province. through income and employment drastically reduce the number of households that have no access to safe generation. The province has to be Social Welfare drinking water and sanitary toilet promoted as an eco-tourism Ensuring that the marginalized groups facilities. destination considering its pristine like differently-abled, elderly, beaches, scuba diving sites, surfing children, and other vulnerable Education areas, forest trekking areas, caves, and sectorshave access to social and Programs aimed at increasing historical and cultural sites. The economic opportunities shall be given participation rates, cohort survival current massive campaign to promote particular importance. Calicoan Island in the municipality of rates, and achievement rates in both Guiuan as a beach resort and surfing elementary and secondary levels shall Infrastructure destination par exellence is an be intensified and expanded. These The unreliability of the power and energy sector has remained a major hindrance in poverty reduction initiatives. Efforts therefore need to be exerted not only to increase service area coverage but more importantly, to ensure uninterrupted power supply.

The improvement of the national road, particularly the Taft-Borongan-Guiuan section and the completion of the road that connects Eastern Samar to via the Arteche- Road should also be given importance. This shall be complemented with the construction and improvement of farm-to-market roads to benefit farmers and rural interior communities.

Figure 1. Poverty Reduction Framework of the Province of Eastern Samar

6 CBMS Network Updates December 2007 Research Results Governance The elimination of red tape in the Box 1: access by the poor to services shall be given renewed effort. Other measures POVERTY REDUCTION GOALS AND TARGETS like the establishment of a Financial By 2015, the following poverty Significant economic growth achieved Management Information System reduction targets shall be attained : through increased investments in eco- encouraging cost-saving and tourism, micro, small and medium transparency shall also be The proportion of malnourished industry development, aqua-marine institutionalized. children reduced from the current 6 development, agricultural percent to 4 percent; diversification and modernization; The procurement procedures of both national and local governments need The proportion of households without Provincial, municipal, and barangay to be reviewed to make them graft-free access to safe water reduced from 21.3 profiles using CBMS data updated once and transparent. percent to 5 percent; in every three years and used as basis for anti-poverty planning and focused The proportion of households without targeting; Environment access to sanitary toilet facilities Poverty concerns mainstreamed in The degradation of the province’s reduced by half from 30.1 percent to local development plans; forest and marine resources hurt the 15 percent; poor. Extra efforts should therefore be More families involved in sustainable exerted to minimize and eventually The proportion of children 6-12 years livelihood activities supported by obliterate anti-ecological practices old not attending elementary school LGUs; like illegal logging and mining and reduced from 25 percent to 5 percent; destructive fishing. Civil society organizations, church The proportion of children 13-16 years groups, business groups to serve as old not attending high school reduced active partners of both the national Building capacities of from 50.8 percent to 25 percent; structures and service and local governments in the planning, providers The proportion of households with implementation, monitoring and An integrated human resource income below the poverty threshold evaluation of poverty-reduction development program to include reduced from 63.5 percent to 20 interventions; cooperative development, training and percent; An anti-poverty forum conducted capability building of NGOs and POs, The proportion of households with annually to assess the poverty and the organizational development of income below the subsistence situation and the results of poverty LGUs shall be implemented as part of threshold reduced from 52.6 to 25 initiatives, draw up new ones, and the overall human development and percent; derive lessons; institution building goal. Current The proportion of members of the labor institutional arrangements need to be Monitoring and evaluation done reviewed and new ones established to force who are unemployed reduced regularly as basis for formulating new facilitate the planning and from 20.1 percent to 5 percent; poverty-reduction initiatives. implementation of cost-effective program and project interventions. STRATEGIES

Mobilizing resources for Make national and local governments, Strengthen local structures like the poverty reduction non-government organization and local development councils and other special bodies to enable them to better Finally, the resources of the other institutions more effective and perform their poverty reduction tasks; government, particularly the local efficient by building their capabilities and government units, to address the multi- to plan, implement, monitor, and dimensional poverty problem are evaluate poverty reduction programs limited given the magnitude of the and projects; Integrate all anti-poverty funding requirements. Hence, the interventions in the province which are funded by national government assistance of government financial Converge all poverty reduction efforts agencies, non-government agencies, institutions, and the business sector in areas that are the most deprived ❋ and donors for better results. shall be pursued. shown by CBMS data;

CBMS Network Updates 7 December 2007 News Updates CBMS gains foothold in Bicol

Participants of the 3-day Training on CBMS Module 2 held in Sto. Domingo, Albay last May 17-19, 2006, pose for posterity with the trainors from the CBMS Network Coordinating Team. The Community Based Monitoring Camarines Sur. The other LGUs which of the Socio-economic Profiles and System (CBMS) continues to gain new manifested their interest for the project Barangay Development Plans. The ground and support from local through the official letter they sent to delays in the completion of the project government units in the Bicol Region the DILG office are the municipalities of requirements of the abovementioned as the Department of the Interior and Castilla in Sosogon; Tiwi in Albay; LGUs are due to the other programs, Local Government (DILG) Regional Ragay, San Fernando, Pasacao, projects and activities being Office V conducts advocacy campaigns Pamplona, Libmanan, Del Gallego, implemented by them, the technical and briefings on the program to newly Cabusao and Sipocot in Camarines Sur. problems experienced in the operation elected officials. of the system(virus), lack of computer CBMS Implementation in the units and manpower, and the major The newly elected local officials and Bicol region typhoons that devastated the region. functionaries were oriented about the The Community Based Monitoring CBMS during the E-LOG and CBMS System (CBMS) was pilot tested in 2005 Use of CBMS data Orientation for the 6 provinces in the in selected local government units in Despite the problems encountered, region. A separate CBMS Orientation the provinces of Sorsogon, Albay and though, they continue to struggle in for the newly elected officials of the 1st Camarines Sur which include the City of order to carry-out the project. District of Camarines Sur was also Ligao and Municipality of Libon, City of Moreover, the LGUs implementing the conducted by the DILG Regional Office Sorsogon; and City of Iriga and the project particularly the City of Ligao in coordination with the League of Municipalities of Lupi and Minalabac. and the Municipality of Libon were able Mayors of the 1st District of Camarines to utilize the CBMS data during the Sur and the Office of Congressman Dato Out of the 6 LGUs implementing the relief operations when the region was Arroyo. project, the Municipality of Lupi has so devastated by Typhoons Milenyo and far completed the project requirements. Reming. On the other hand, Ligao City Other LGUs which signified their Except for Sorsogon City, the other found the data to be beneficial in the interest on the CBMS Project and whose remaining 4 LGUs are in the process of preparation of their LGUs’ Local local officials and functionaries were completing the project. As of December Development and Investment Plans, the provided with an orientation briefing 2007, the Cities of Iriga and Ligao and Executive and Legislative Agenda and are the Municipalities of Tiwi in Albay, the Municipalities of Minalabac and in updating their Comprehensive Land and Tinambac and Bombon in Libon are completing the preparation Use Plan.

Call for project...from page 12 In the case of Minalabac, they were able to use the CBMS data particularly their programs and projects, particularly occasion of the 5th National data on Persons with Disabilities in meeting the minimum basic needs Conference on CBMS and funded (PWDs) with respect to the Operation of poor communities/ families. projects may begin February 2008. Smile Project and the employment of From 2005-2006, the UNDP- Persons with Disability. Likewise, the Selection criteria will focus on how Philippines and the Peace and Equity data on Out-of-School Youth, Gender the project or program will meet Foundation (PEF), through the CBMS and Sources of Income were used for UNDP’s mission and how consistent Development Grant Program, have the preparation of the School the proposed project or intervention provided close to Php3.2 million to Improvement Plan of Teachers. The is with the validated CBMS survey 31 communities to assist them in Municipal Government of Lupi is results. The deadline for submission implementing barangay-based currently sourcing funds from possible of proposals is December 14, 2007. poverty reduction initiatives which donor institutions with respect to the The grants will be awarded on the were identified using CBMS data. ❋ projects they intend to implement in response to the needs identified in the 8 CBMS Network Updates CBMS survey. ❋❋ December 2007 ResearchNews Updates Results Coverage of CBMS Implementation in the Philippines (as of December 31, 2007)

CBMS Network Updates 9 December 2007 News Updates Eastern Visayas LGUs now starting to reap benefits from CBMS

A progress report from the Technical interface and in the Services Division of the Department of process facilitate Interior and Local Government (DILG) the drawing up of a Region 8 Office on the status of the CBMS poverty reduction implementation in Eastern Visayas framework. The highlights how CBMS information has, consolidated Development stakeholders sign the Anti- among others, influenced local provincial CBMS data was presented as Poverty Summit Declaration during the Eastern policymakers in the formulation of their information source for the setting up Samar Anti-Poverty Summit held last November poverty reduction frameworks, in of poverty reduction targets and 8-9,2007 coming up with a common set of local identifying appropriate interventions development priorities as well as in the to address the same. CBMS-based ELAs & AIPS configuration of their priority programs, projects and activities. Governor Ben Evardone noted that Meanwhile, CBMS-partner LGUs in while a report from the National and Southern reported The report from the DILG Regional Office Statistical Coordination Board revealed that CBMS-generated data were used to which is coordinating the that poverty incidence in the province update information on malnutrition, implementation of the CBMS in the declined from 47.3 percent in 2000 to unemployment and other poverty region, also noted that the 33.9 percent in 2003, the latest CBMS indicators that led to evidence-based implementation of the CBMS is now in census results showed a much higher identification of development issues full swing, less than three years after it rate. This, he said, galvanized the and appropriate interventions in their was pilot-tested in 16 municipalities. At Provincial Government into action to Executive and Legislative Agenda present, CBMS is being implemented in provide directions and facilitate (ELA). four cities, 113 municipalities and 3,255 collaboration among stakeholders barangays all over the region. These towards a unified stand to address the The ELA is a planning document that is account for approximately 30 percent core issues of poverty. mutually developed and agreed upon of the total number of local government by both the executive and legislative units that implementing the poverty The anti-poverty summit has the branches of the local government units. monitoring system all over the country. following expected outputs: provincial It is an integrated plan that contains poverty profile based on CBMS the major development thrusts and Anti-poverty summit in indicators, agreements on areas for priorities of both the executive and Eastern Samar convergence of poverty alleviation legislative branches toward a common efforts, commitment of donors and vision for the LGU. After being able to consolidate all CBMS partners to assist the province in its data from the 22 municipalities and 1 poverty reduction initiatives and LGUs likewise reported city in the province, the Provincial summit declaration to reduce poverty using CBMS data to benchmark their Government of Eastern Samar performance in the prioritization of conducted a 2-day anti-poverty in Eastern Samar signed by the summit last November 8-9, 2007 at the participants. issues and concerns. This then served as Provincial Capitol. inputs in their process of identifying President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo programs, projects and activities for The summit provided a venue for graced the event and lauded the efforts their 2008 Annual Investment Plan poverty alleviation stakeholders to of the province to sustain its gains in (AIP). poverty reduction.

10 CBMS Network Updates December 2007 News Updates

MIMAROPA RDC sees increased role of CBMS in charting regional development

Personnel from the 17 local government units in the Province of Romblon encode their accomplished CBMS Household Profile Questionnaires which was part of the requirements during the Training on CBMS Module 2 last July 7, 2007.

located in rural agricultural areas. The Regional Development Council of The RDC will specifically use CBMS in its The region is likewise host to many MIMAROPA reinforced its efforts to pinpoint specific and diverse tourism attractions. commitment anew to use the CBMS in interventions/services even at the directing its path to development by household level; validate and monitor The RDC which is the highest policy- working with the CBMS Network development plans; prepare and making body in the region and serves Coordinating Team in coming up with evaluate project proposals and review as the counterpart of the NEDA Board a customized CBMS questionnaire of policies and strategies that it is at the sub-national level, consider that focuses on its two resource implementing. sectors: agriculture and tourism. these two sectors as its twin engines of growth and development. It intends Specifically, the CBMS Household On August 31, 2005, RDC IV-B during its to use CBMS in order to be able to Profile Questionnaire (HPQ) was meeting approved the use CBMS as a establish a baseline data and generate modified to collect more agriculture database management system for the situational analysis of these two and tourism indicators since most of region. As a commitment, all provinces sectors and subsequently direct the the households in the region are signed the Memorandum of Agreement path of the region’s development. (MOA) on September 29, 2006 to implement CBMS in their respective Eastern Visayas LGUs...from page 10 provinces. The CBMS was adopted as the Convergence of poverty On the other hand, CBMS information common database management system alleviation efforts were identified as baseline data for of all the LGUs to facilitate generation, processing and utilization of data for The report also underscored how the eventual impact assessment of the development planning and decision- CBMS can facilitate convergence of implementation of the Infrastructure making purposes. poverty alleviation efforts. It noted for Rural Productivity Enhancement that local government units are now Sector Program (InFRES) in the The provinces of Palawan and empowered to link up and seek the Municipality of Leyte. Marinduque were the pilot areas of assistance of donor as well as other CBMS implementation in the region. At organizations operating in their The United Nations Development present, these provinces are already in areas. Programme (UNDP) in the Philippines, through the CBMS-UNDP Development their second round of implementation. On the other hand, the province of Plan International has for instance Grant Program, has also provided Romblon is in the stage of processing committed to provide computer close to Php 1 million to assist 5 their first CBMS datasets. Meanwhile, hardware to their partner LGUs in communities in implementing Oriental Mindoro is finalizing all its Southern Leyte so that they can fast- barangay-based poverty reduction documents to start CBMS on February track the processing of CBMS data. initiatives which were identified using CBMS data. 2008 while Occidental Mindoro is still mobilizing resources in order to be Meanwhile, the United Nations able to implement CBMS in the Population Fund (UNFPA) office in The DILG Regional Office No. 8 likewise immediate future. ❋ Eastern Samar funded a training on linked with the GTZ to fund a training the preparation of municipal on the updating of socioeconomic socioeconomic profiles of their profiles and databases of the 8 priority areas in Sulat, Llorente and municipalities in Biliran. The training held last November 26- was successfully conducted last 28, 2007. August 1-3, 2007. ❋ CBMS Network Updates 11 December 2007 News Updates CBMS Network Updates is the quarterly newsletter of the CBMS Network of the PEP Project. This work Call for Project Proposals was carried out by the Angelo King Institute for Economic and Business Studies with financial support of the Awarding of grant funds. Mr. Government of Canada through the Kyo Naka, Deputy Resident International Development Research Representative of UNDP Centre (IDRC) and the Canadian Philippines assisted by Ms. International Development Agency Corazon Urquico, Manager, (CIDA). Empowerment of the Poor Portfolio and Dr. Celia Reyes, The Updates may be downloaded in CBMS Network Leader presents Adobe Acrobat format for free from the the ceremonial check to one of Project's website. The site can be the LGU-Grantees during the 4th accessed through http://www.pep- CBMS National Conference last net.org. November 2006. For inquiries , please write or call:

The PEP-CBMS Network Coordinating Team, in collaboration with the United PEP-CBMS Network Coordinating Team Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in the Philippines, is once again Angelo King Institute for looking for innovative programs and interventions that will address specific Economic and Business Studies 10/F Angelo King International Center development needs identified through the CBMS. Estrada corner Arellano Streets, Malate, Manila 1004, Philippines Following the success of the first two calls for applications, Dr. Celia Reyes, PEP- Tel No: (632) 523-8888 loc. 274 Telefax No: (632) 526-2067 CBMS Network Leader, hopes that CBMS-partner LGUs will once again rise to the E-mail: [email protected] challenge of putting together some highly competitive ideas. “We are looking for innovative proposals that can make a real difference in reducing poverty and Editorial Staff development disparities across barangays and municipalities all over the country,” she added. Celia M. Reyes Editor-in-Chief Formed to build partnerships among communities and various sectors in the Jennifer P.T. Liguton design and implementation of appropriate interventions in pursuit of meeting Managing Editor the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), in particular, poverty reduction, the Joel E. Bancolita CBMS-UNDP Development Grant Program has a total of PhP1.6M grant funding Marsmath A. Baris, Jr. available to be disbursed. It is anticipated that 8 proposals will be funded. Juan Paulo M. Fajardo Lani V. Garnace Awards will be made up to a maximum value of PhP200,000 to produce the Kenneth C. Ilarde following desired outcomes: improved access of the poor to basic services and Anne Bernadette E. Mandap productive resources, decision-making mechanisms for socio-economic Jasminda A. Quilitis empowerment, and strengthened capacity of national and local government Marilyn S. Ritualo Alellie B. Sobreviñas units in planning, formulating, implementing and monitoring anti-poverty Researchers/Writers < continuation page 8

CBMS NETWORK UPDATES BUSINESS MAIL PEP-CBMS Network Coordinating Team Bulk Pre-sorted Third Class Mail Angelo King International Center for Economic & Business Studies Postage Paid at Makati Central Post Office 10th Flr. Angelo King International Center Under Permit No. BPSPM-04-05 NCR Estrada cor. Arellano Sts., Malate, Manila 1004, Philippines Valid Until December 31, 2008 Subject for Postal Inspection

12 CBMS Network Updates December 2007