BUTUAN CITY-The Department of Social Welfare and Development Caraga Field Office hosted the National Communication Planning: Communications Audit of the National Household Targeting System for Poverty Reduction (NHTSPR).

Held at Almont Hotel’s Inland Resort, Butuan City on Oct. 17-21, 2012, the conference participants included the agency’s regional information officers, NHTSPR regional focal persons and admin assistants to regional information officers from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.

The activity aimed to identify the gaps, areas for improvement and new areas to explore.

The World Bank’s Senior Communications Officer Leonora Gonzales, Social Protection Specialist Rashiel Velarde, and ET Consultant Shanna Elaine Rogan, facilitated the evaluation workshop on the NHTSPR social marketing and advocacy efforts.

The DSWD Caraga Regional Director Mercedita P. Jabagat warmly welcomed the participants and gave a bird’s eye view about Butuan City and Caraga’s history.

Assistant Secretary Javier Jimenez, Chief of Staff of the Office of the Secretary and Officer In Cahrge of the Social Marketing Service, emphasized to the participants to “Repeat, Redo, Reinvent and Reinforce the message that we want to convey to the target audiences.“

Moreover, Director Vincent Andrew Leyson, NHTSPR National Projkect Manager gave an overview and clarification about the National Household Targeting System-Poor Reduction (NHTS-PR).  He said “this is a project and not a program; an information data which identifies who and where the poor are.”

One of the highlights of the activity was the community visit and panel interview where all the issues and concerns were raised. The participants had a chance to interview the poor, non-poor and barangay captains of identified barangays, council members, media practitioner, social worker, and LGU officials. ### (Social Marketing Unit)