The Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) third version of the National Household Targeting System for Poverty Reduction (NHTS-PR), otherwise known as Listahanan 3, is now on its validation and finalization phase after it received the go signal to resume operations.

The initial lists of poor household members are posted in villages for review.

DSWD spokesperson Irene Dumlao told the Philippine News Agency that their teams encountered mobility concerns and restrictions in movement due to coronavirus-induced lockdowns.

“It affected the local verification and grievance mechanism procedures,” she said, adding the meticulous process takes time.

In previous reports, NHTS Director Justin Batocabe said Listahanan will be published by the second quarter this year. The deadline has been moved to the last quarter of the year.

As of April 2021, over 3.67 million grievances were filed nationwide, with 76.22 percent or more than 2.8 million appeals subject to household re-assessments.

Regions 6, 7, and Calabarzon have the most number of grievances.

NHTS operations started in 2019 but were hampered due to successive typhoons, followed by the pandemic last year.

To date, village and local verification teams have already assessed 14.4 million households.

The resumption is supported by the Inter-Agency Task Force, which recognizes Listahanan as a critical government service and considers its field workers as authorized persons outside of residence, and, therefore, allowed for inter-zonal and intrazonal travels.

“The DSWD targets to finish the complete process on the last quarter of year 2021. Once finalized, the Listahanan can help the government and stakeholders in the private sector identify deserving beneficiaries for their social protection programs and services,” a DSWD statement read.

The final phase will allow for review and corrections to household information and subsequent filing of appeals.

Under Executive Order 867, series of 2010, all national government agencies are directed to adopt the NHTS-PR as a mechanism in identifying where and who the poor households are as recipients of social protection programs nationwide. (PNA)