Benguet: The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) on Friday turned over to local government units (LGUs) in Benguet the results of the six-month Community-Based Monitoring System (CBMS) enumeration, which gathered vital household data that can guide local planning and development programs.
According to Philippines News Agency, Imelda Buyuccan, chief statistical specialist of PSA-Benguet, emphasized the CBMS as an essential tool for tracking progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure peace and prosperity. The CBMS supports the 2023-2028 Philippine Development Plan by helping track SDG targets, estimating multidimensional poverty, and strengthening LGU capacity to design evidence-based solutions.
"This is not just a mere compilation of numbers but also represents voices, aspirations, needs, challenges, and status of the people in the barangays," Buyuccan said in a statement. The 2024 CBMS focused on 10 key SDG indicators, including poverty reduction, zero hunger, gender equality, clean water and sanitation, affordable energy, decent work, innovation and infrastructure, sustainable communities, peace and justice, and global partnerships.
The nationwide survey was fully funded by the PSA, which deployed enumerators and supervisors who processed the results for LGUs. Buyuccan noted that respondents provided information on 15 areas, such as demographics, education, health, food security, disaster preparedness, access to transportation and the internet, housing, sanitation, financial accounts, and social protection programs.
Bokod Mayor Eric Donn Ignacio welcomed the results, noting their relevance to upcoming municipal planning sessions. "This is very important, especially since we will be having our municipal planning this month. We can use this to better address the issues of our people. I find this really valuable," he said.
Berry Sangao, president of the League of Planners in Benguet, stated that the data is critical in crafting comprehensive land use, development, and sectoral plans, including those for indigenous peoples, ancestral domains, solid waste management, transport, and peace and order.