11 August 2023, Cotabato City. The Philippine Statistics Authority Regional Statistical Services Office in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (PSA-RSSO-BARMM) spearheaded by Engr. Akan G. Tula, OIC-Regional Director together with Mr. Edward Donald F. Eloja, OIC Statistical Operation and Coordination Division (SOCD) in collaboration with the Local Government Unit of Cotabato City, has successfully conducted the Orientation on the 2022 Community-Based Monitoring System (CBMS) implementation, held at the People’s Palace, Cotabato City.

For a brief background, the development of the CBMS was coined in the Philippines with a design proposed under the Micro Impacts of Macroeconomic Adjustment Policies (MIMAP) Phase II Project in 1992 while further refinements were done in the succeeding years. Afterwards, the proposed system was pilot-tested in 2 barangays in Pandi, Bulacan in 1995 and 1996; and it was implemented province-wide in Palawan in November 1999; Puerto Princesa City in November 2001, and the second round of CBMS survey in the province of Palawan in 2002.

In Cotabato City, however, Engr. Ma. Adela A. Fiesta, City Planning and Development Officer, conveyed that CBMS was first introduced in 2017 whereas 52 thousand out of 59 thousand households were successfully captured. Meanwhile, in the 2019 rollout, less than one thousand households agreed to be interviewed.

To legally sustain the program, Republic Act No. 11315, otherwise known as the “Community-Based Monitoring System (CBMS) Act” was signed into law on 17 April 2019 and its Implementing Rules Regulations (IRR) on 20 May 2020, whereas PSA is mandated to implement the CBMS through the Community-Based Statistics Service of the Censuses and Technical Coordination Office.

Unfortunately, Cotabato City wasn’t included in the August and October 2022 rollout as it falls above the income classifications of 3rd, 4th, and 5th class LGUs as target participants, OIC-SOCD Eloja explained.

However, by virtue of the DILG Memorandum Circular No. 2023-027 or the Nationwide Adoption of the CBMS signed on 16 February 2023, it mandates the establishment of CBMS in all cities and municipalities as an economic and social tool for the formulation and implementation of poverty alleviation and development programs which are specific, targeted, and responsive to the basic needs of each sector of the community.

Ways forward for the program are to aid local government units in assessing and understanding poverty and its dimensions at the barangays, municipalities, cities and provinces with the goal of simplifying the local poverty reduction action plan and implementing the plans and programs that would reduce poverty.

In the interest of time and opportunity, Engr. Tula took the chance to introduce various programs and activities of the PSA such as the 2022 Census of Agriculture and Fisheries (CAF) which was further presented by SOCD Eloja. Additionally, he also requested the City Planning and Development Office's participation in the regular conduct of inflation press conferences in the region.

Finally, the City Government of Cotabato and its concerned stakeholders expressed their full support in the development and successful undertaking of the CBMS rollout and other PSA activities.

ENGR. AKAN G TULA
OIC-Regional Director
EDFE/BMB/SGU