Manila – The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) has successfully completed the community-based monitoring system (CBMS) data collection across all 91 towns of Eastern Visayas, with plans to turn over the data before the end of the year. Zonia Salazar, assistant chief of the PSA regional statistical operation and coordination division, reported on Thursday that while the enumeration in all areas has been completed, analysis and validation are ongoing for half of the covered areas. To date, completed CBMS data has been turned over to 42 towns.
According to Philippines News Agency, The CBMS data serves as a diagnostic tool to assess poverty at various levels, from villages to provinces, aiding policymakers and program implementers in tracking the impacts of macroeconomic reforms and providing a basis for more effective governance. The system, mandated under Republic Act 11315, involves a census of households using accelerated poverty profiling systems. It is designed to generate disaggregated data at the local level for planning, budgeting, and implementing programs aimed at poverty alleviation and economic development.
Recent turnovers of the CBMS data include several towns in Samar, Leyte, Eastern Samar, Southern Leyte, and Biliran province. However, the turnover in Northern Samar has been delayed due to recent flooding affecting the area. The CBMS covers various dimensions of poverty, including health, nutrition, water, sanitation, shelter, education, income, employment, security, and participation, and is intended to empower communities to participate in the data collection process.
