22 September 2021 – Ilocos Region. The Philippine Statistics Authority – Regional Statistical Services Office I (PSA-RSSO I), in partnership with the Department of the Interior and Local Government – Region I (DILG - RO I), conducted the Community-Based Monitoring System (CBMS) Regional Stakeholders’ Forum with 134 representatives from local government units (LGUs) and regional line agencies in the region. The forum was conducted via videoconference.

In her opening remarks, Officer-in-Charge Atty. Sheila O. De Guzman expressed her appreciation for the virtual attendance of the LGU representatives to the forum since the LGUs will serve as the primary data collecting authority during the system’s nationwide rollout in 2022.

An audio-visual presentation on the overview of the CBMS was witnessed by the participants. After which, CBMS Regional Focal Person Ms. Teresa B. Olarte discussed the CBMS Implementation Plan. She explained the roles of the PSA, DILG and the LGUs for the CBMS rollout. She also shared that the Pilot CBMS will commence on 04 October 2021 until 02 December 2021.

With the goal of encouraging LGUs to participate in the nationwide implementation of the CBMS next year, Ms. Nicolette Amon of the DILG -  RO I shared the importance of the CBMS in local level planning, budgeting, poverty diagnosis, disaster risk reduction and management (DRRM), Millennium Development Goals progress monitoring, and project impact monitoring.

For the appreciation of the attendees, Municipal Planning and Development Coordinator Ms. Milagros J. Padilla, EnP of LGU – Mangaldan, Pangasinan shared the town’s outputs which stemmed from the conduct of its CBMS in 2016. Mr. Danilo Alagano II of LGU –San Nicolas, Pangasinan also discussed the outputs of the CBMS such as the town’s poverty and risks maps which are helpful in crafting sound and appropriate policies.

Republic Act (RA) No. 11315 or the CBMS Act defines CBMS as 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.

For more information and latest announcements on the CBMS, visit the PSA CBMS webpage at www.psa.gov.ph/cbms. LGUs with ongoing initiatives and plans to conduct their CBMS are encouraged to coordinate closely with their respective PSA provincial and regional offices.