COTABATO CITY (May 22, 2014)– DSWD readies twenty five (25) field staff to be deployed in Maguindanao soon.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) 12 through the National Household Targeting Unit (NHTU) has prepared a total of twenty five (25) field staff hired to conduct the special validation of Social Pension (SOCPEN) Program and Modified Conditional Cash Transfer (MCCT) beneficiaries in the Province of Maguindanao of the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

A three-day training, inclusive dates May 20-22 at Sardonyx Plaza function hall, was piloted among the hired field staff consisting of four (4) Area Supervisors (AS) and twenty one (21) Enumerators (Ens). Accordingly, MCCT and SOCPEN will each be assigned with two (2) AS. Ten (10) Ens will be assigned to MCCT and SOCPEN with eleven (11).

DSWD aimed to highlight among the soon-to-be field staff the significance of honesty during the conduct of the validation in coming up with an accurate and reliable Listhanan database.

According to Jackiya A. Lao, NHTU Head, over and above the staffs’ notable skill as field worker, DSWD is equally concerned on how committed they can be in the entire validation period.

“DSWD is not just teaching the staff the technique in effectively gathering genuine responses from their interviewees, nevertheless we give them strict rules on observing honesty in the field and above all to have authentic concern for the welfare of Maguindanaons ”, Lao explains.

Lao said that the presence of concern for Maguindanao among the workers will bring out honesty naturally from them when they are in their area of assignment.

Based on the 2011 Listahanan data, Maguindanao posted the biggest percentage share of identified poor households in Philippines in provincial level with a total of 227,599 or 42.8% of the 531,526 identified poor households in the region.

Meanwhile, in light of the new normal, Lao said that Listahanan database is being highlighted.

As converging clusters, Government or Non-Government agencies/office and many others increase their need to source potential beneficiaries for social protection programs, it is apparent that the demand for Listahanan database will also increase thus its credibility is vital.

“As much as possible DSWD screens the workers carefully choosing only those who both have great work ethics and heart for it as well. We are taking a bold effort of making a complete package in every field worker we will deploy soon”, Lao said.

Most of the hired field workers are recommended by DSWD’s partner agencies/groups with the likes of National Commission on Indigenous People (NCIP), National Statistics Office (NSO) and the academe.

Accordingly, the said validation will take place this semester. (end) ###