Rep. Alfredo Abelardo Benitez (Neg. Occ. 3rd District) tapped the assistance of the Department of Social Welfare and Development in the plan to conduct an intensive validation of baseline data on families in poverty level in the Third District as for social services programs, as well as legislative initiatives that will address poverty reduction, a press release from his office said.

He met with DSWD provincial head Liane Garcia and social welfare officers of cities and towns in the Third District in his Victorias District Office recently.

The group briefed Benitez and his staff on the National Household Targeting System for Poverty Reduction or NHTS-PR , a system adopted nation-wide to identify poor households.

Benitez said he recognizes the need to align his District’s data base with that of the NHTS-PR through the DSWD to ensure relevant and purposive planning and budgeting for social welfare programs, the press release said.

He especially sees the critical need for alignment with the implementation of the Negros Occidental Comprehensive Health Program, it added.

To date, the Third District posts the highest registration of beneficiaries to the NOCHP and also the highest in availment of services in the government hospitals, it said.

Close to 25,000 indigent families as of December 2011 have already received their Negros First Family Health Card. Benitez had earlier announced he will target 45,000 indigent families, the press release added.

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