With the finalization of the guidelines for Listahanan 2 database, the Department of Social Welfare and Development in Central Visayas (DSWD-7), through the National Household Targeting Unit, has kicked off visits to the different local government units (LGUs), national government agencies (NGAs), nongovernment organizations (NGOs), government-owned and controlled corporations (GOCCs), civil society organizations (CSOs) and schools/universities to promote the utilization of the Listahanan poverty database.
This ongoing activity of National Household Targeting System for Poverty Reduction (NHTS-PR) aims to encourage all LGUs, NGAs, NGOs, GOCCs, CSOs, schools and universities to take advantage of the Listahanan database and discuss the important guidelines of data sharing for the execution of their respective social protection programs and services.
The partners that were visited included the municipalities of Alicia and Sagbayan, Bohol; provincial government of Siquijor; Argao, Cebu; Saint Peter Academy of Alegria Foundation Inc. in Alegria, Cebu; and the Department of Agriculture (DA) 7.
The Listahanan or NHTS-PR is an information management system that identifies who and where the poor are nationwide.
To ensure compliance of the Republic Act 10173 or the Data Privacy Act of 2012, DSWD spearheaded the orientation on Data Privacy Act of 2012 and Listahanan data sharing during their visit to the LGUs, NGAs and schools. The orientation aims to educate the potential stakeholders on the importance of the firm obedience of Data Privacy Act of 2012 as well as the adherence of the guidelines for data sharing.
“This is to ensure that the personal information of the assessed households will be protected and will be used exclusively for social protection program and activities,” said Ruben Boybanting, NHTS-PR Regional Field Coordinator.
Request for data sharing from NGAs, NGOs, GOCCs, CSOs and private foundations is to be addressed to the DSWD Central Office while requests at the regional level including LGUs, will be addressed to the respective DSWD regional offices.
The appointed data protection officer (DPO) will be responsible in responding to all requests for information by data subjects including access to personal information and their rectification, updating, removal and destruction.
Documentary requirements to be submitted along with the letter request are the following: a) original copy authorizing the head of the agency to enter into an agreement for data sharing with DSWD; b) the name of designated data protection officer of the agency who will oversee data use, protection, and security of data; c) valid proof of the identification of the agency and the DPO; and, d) documents attesting to the legitimacy of the organization.
“With these documentary requirements, we are grateful to the partners that we have already visited as they initially agreed to maximize the Listahanan poverty database in carrying out their respective social protection programs and services,” expressed Boybanting.
With the utilization of the database, poor households included in the Listahanan will be given the right attention and appropriate services that will be helpful for the augmentation of their socioeconomic status, while the LGUs, NGOs, NGAs and other civil society organizations are assured that they target the qualified and right groups of people for their social protection programs and services. /PR