MALATE, Manila- The Listahanan of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) reveals about 666,974 poor children or 56.4 percent aged 0-18 years old of the 1,182,086 poor individuals  across the five provinces in MIMAROPA based on the 2015 household assessment.

From the total 1,163,842 children listed or 45.2 percent of 2,573,992 total assessed individuals, 602,025 (51.7%) are boys and 561,817 (48.3%) are girls.

In Occidental Mindoro, there are 122,369 (18.3%) poor children; 170,129 (25.5%) in Oriental Mindoro; 44,166  (6.6%) in Marinduque; 64,467 (9.7%) in Romblon; and 265,843 (39.9%) in Palawan.

The Listahanan database further showed that 418,919 (62.81%) poor children are attending school in all levels while another  14,332 (2.15%) children reported with  primary occupation which shows child labor cases regionwide.

There are 182,362 or  27.34% poor children belonging  to an Indigenous Peoples group.

On the other hand, 1,183 (0.18%) poor children recorded as pregnant during the assessment and 4,518 (0.68%) have disability.

The three towns with the most number of poor children are Puerto Princesa, Palawan with 34,944; San Jose, Occidental Mindoro with 33,192; and Balabac, Palawan with 23,908.

Meanwhile the three barangays with the most number of poor children are Bancalaan in Balabac Palawan with 6,079;  Panaytayan in Mansalay, Oriental Mindoro with 4,731; Mangsee in Balabac, Palawan with 4,380.

Listahanan is a mechanism in identifying who and where the poor families are nationwide.

November is declared as the National Children’s Month according to Republic Act No. 10661 with this year’s celebration theme, ‘Isulong: Kalidad na Edukasyon Para sa lahat ng Bata.###