February 23, 2024 – GUIMARAS. The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) - Guimaras Provincial Statistical Office, in partnership with the Provincial and Municipal Local Government Units (P/MLGUs) of Guimaras, successfully convened all its Community-Based Monitoring System (CBMS) Convening Boards (CCBs), gearing up for the upcoming 2024 CBMS implementation.

The CBMS refers to an organized technology-based system of collecting, processing, and validating necessary disaggregated data that may be used for planning, program implementation, and impact monitoring at the local level while empowering communities to participate in the process.

It involves the generation of statistical and geospatial data at the local level, which serves as a basis for targeting households for government programs geared towards poverty alleviation and economic development.

The Provincial CBMS Coordinating Board (PCCB) officially convened on 22 February 2024 where it tallied a notable 100% participation rate.

“We are glad to record a hundred percent turnout from all PCCB members, which shows positive and overwhelming support and anticipation from the provincial government agencies and private entities regarding the richness and comprehensiveness of the CBMS data”, Provincial Statistics Officer (PSO) Nelida B. Losare stated.

Statistical Specialist II (SSII) Ellen Grace F. Galaura discussed the objectives of the 2024 CBMS, its scope and coverage, the legal bases, data privacy and confidentiality of information, and the roles and responsibilities of the PCCB members.

Meanwhile, Senior Statistical Specialist (SrSS) Salvacion D. Lemos facilitated the discussion on the possible assistance of the board and the timetable of activities for the 2024 CBMS implementation.

“The CBMS aims to generate updated and disaggregated data necessary in targeting beneficiaries, conduct more comprehensive poverty analysis and needs prioritization, design appropriate policies and interventions, provide a mechanism for impact monitoring over time, establish a CBMS database at the national and local level, and generate statistics at higher levels that will complement and supplement the local level data,” SrSS Lemos explained.

“The 2024 CBMS operations will be a comprehensive enumeration of all households and geotagging of all service facilities and government projects in the locality, and will cover capacity strengthening activities for LGUs for their proper management and utilization of the CBMS data”, SSII Galaura added.

During the PCCB convening, the members discussed the inter-municipality boundary disputes, and the body agreed to elevate the issue to the Honorable Governor for a possible resolution.

Meanwhile, the Municipal CBMS Coordinating Boards from all five (5) municipalities in the province successfully convened prior to the PCCB convening.

“The first MCCB convening was held in MLGU Buenavista on January 08. It was followed by MLGU Jordan which conducted its first convening on January 12”, PSO Losare said.

“The other three municipalities – San Lorenzo, Nueva Valencia, and Sibunag held the MCCB convening on January 16-18, respectively. All five (5) municipalities tallied an average of 78% participation rate, setting high anticipation and support from the local government and private entities of the province”, Losare added.

The convening of the MCCBs was conducted to ensure that all logistics and other requirements were in place prior to and during the CBMS operations.

The CBMS focal persons of PSA Guimaras, SrSS Lemos and SSII Galaura, presented all necessary materials and discussions related to the 2024 CBMS implementation.

Moreover, the MCCB members and representatives from various offices and agencies in the municipality expressed their support and offered assistance for the successful implementation of the 2024 CBMS.

“The MCCB convening is crucial in the upcoming CBMS implementation since it requires the cooperation of all government and private entities to ensure the smooth flow of the census operations at all geographic and administrative levels,” PSO Losare explained.

Losare stated that the MCCB members committed to offer the following assistance: publicity and information campaign, venue of CBMS trainings, designated CBMS headquarters in the municipality, internet access for field personnel during data uploading and trainings, transportation when accessing geographically isolated areas and island barangays, financial assistance in the notarization of contracts of CBMS field personnel, accident insurance, and medical assistance, such as first aid treatment and vaccination for animal bites.

“We are delighted to have received the aforementioned assistance from the MCCBs with the relentless and full support from the local chief executives (LCEs) considering the extent of the CBMS undertaking in 2024,” Losare said.

Issues and concerns were also raised during the convening; for instance, one of the notable issues raised was the inter-barangay and inter-municipality map boundary disputes.

“The inter-barangay boundary dispute in LGU Nueva Valencia was thoroughly discussed and the members of the MCCB decided to invite the PSA mapping focal and CBMS personnel to further present and discuss the issue during the Liga ng mga Barangay meeting to come up with a resolution agreed upon by the barangay captains involved in the said dispute,” Losare explained.

“For map boundary disputes involving municipalities, the issue shall be escalated to the convening of the Provincial CBMS Coordinating Board given that the jurisdictional responsibility for the settlement lies with the respective legislative councils of the province,” Losare added

PSO Losare further explained that the goal of the 2024 CBMS is to update the social registries of national government agencies, particularly the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

Moreover, the PSA, as the lead implementing agency of the CBMS, aims to cover all 1st to 6th income class cities and municipalities in the country, and those with no income classification yet.

The Highly Urbanized Cities (HUCs), are encouraged to conduct and fund their CBMS operations with technical assistance from the PSA.

“The convening activities at the provincial and municipal government of Guimaras was successfully conducted garnering support towards the successful implementation and institutionalization of the CBMS in the country, towards evidence-based planning, data-driven program implementation, and local level impact monitoring”, PSO Losare remarked.