The Listahanan or the National Household Targeting System for Poverty Reduction of the Department of Social Welfare and Development Field Office 1 (DSWD FO 1) intensified its mandate to share the information of poor households or individuals needed by data users like Lyceum Northern Luzon (LNL) in Urdaneta City, Pangasinan.
Listahanan Focal Person/ Policy and Plans Division Chief Anniely J. Ferrer is grateful to LNL headed by LNL President Mariano M. Gandia, PhD, for its initiative in requesting the data of the poor particularly the data on poor students. The LNL will use the Listahanan data to reach out to the poor families with children who want to go to college as their potential beneficiary on a scholarship program under the Tertiary Education Subsidy (TES) of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) in accordance with the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act of 2017 or Republic Act 10931.
“We are really interested in them (referring to Listahanan poor households). We are going to look for them. Malaki ang mga maitutulong nito sa mga bata (The scholarship program that we offer in partnership with CHED will benefit the children),”said LNL Pres. Gandia during the recently held meeting.
According to LNL Pres. Gandia, the TES scholars will be given a stipend worth PhP30,000.00 for a semester by our government that will cover their tuition, other school fees, allowance for books, room and board costs, and other expenses.
As their counterpart in serving the poor, LNL Pres. Gandia added that they are currently constructing a 3-storey building to cater those scholars who want to rent a room for only PhP900.00 a month. Further, he also mentioned during the meeting that he will offer the scholars an eat now, pay later arrangement in the school canteen just in case their stipend will be delayed.
The list of Listahanan poor households that were given to LNL was generated from the result of the 2nd Round of Household Assessment conducted in 2015. The Listahanan is a project of DSWD that identifies who and where the poor are that can be a basis for choosing would-be beneficiaries of social protection programs and services not only from our government but also from Private Sectors, Civil Society Organizations, and Non-Government Agencies. (by: Jaymante Pearl B. Apilado, Administrative Assistant III, NHTS-PR/Listahanan)