Targeting the untargeted: critical evaluation of poverty targeting system and its role on poverty alleviation and poor's empowerment

Abstract

The country's poverty targeting system was created to ensure that there is a database system that registers who and where the poor are, so that services are truly directed among the marginalized. This study evaluated the connection of the poverty targeting system in providing social protection services among the poor in Daet, Camarines Norte. It also assessed how the NTHS-PR is related in poverty alleviation in general, as well as empowering the poor. But before analyzing the role of NTHS-PR, the study evaluated the poverty threshold — which is the most important component in determining the poor. The study used both quantitative and qualitative measures as research methods. Surveys and case studies were conducted among the registered poor households in the selected area. An interview was also conducted in the main government agency concerned — the Department of Social Work and Development. The results revealed that the government's poverty threshold do not reflect the minimum basic standard of decent living from the perception of the poor themselves. On the other hand, the NTHS-PR provided social protection services among the poor which improved their lives. However, there are limitations: (1) not all poor are given social protection services, and (2) social protection services are also insufficient to solve poverty. The results also suggested that through targeting, it empowers almost half of the respondents.