MALATE, Manila–  Of the total 814,493 women aged 18 and above, 240,812, or 30% are poor according to the Listahanan 3 database.

Women  constitute 30 percent  of the 2.7 million individuals assessed in the MIMAROPA region.

At the provincial level, about 85,539 (35.5%) poor women identified in Palawan; 50,534 (20.9%) in Oriental Mindoro; 47,812 (19.9%) in Occidental Mindoro; 41,065 (17.1%) in Romblon; and 5,862 (6.6%) women in Marinduque.

The majority of women or 75% are rural poor only 25% are urban poor.

 Profile of Women 

The demographic characteristics of poor women in MIMAROPA reveal that 32.4% are employed mostly as service and sales workers (28.3%) and laborers and unskilled workers (26.3%).

The Listahanan further shows, 43,727 women are solo-parent and about 125,355 are considered household heads. For marital status, the majority, or 50.8% of women are married while 21.3% are single.

Women in the reproductive age group 18 to 44 share 36.6% of the total poor population.

As to educational attainment,42.3% of women completed high school, 28.3% elementary, and 24.9% college.

Programs and Services for Women 

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) among other line agencies, local government units, and civil society organizations help ensure that women will achieve empowerment and equality and their rights are recognized.

The Department through its community-based services provides financial, food, medical, transportation, legal, livelihood assistance, counseling, referrals, and/or temporary shelter to Women in Especially Difficult Circumstances.

Likewise, DSWD implements social protection programs to uplift the socio-economic well-being of the poor, especially the women sector.

To date in MIMAROPA, there are 31,526 women-empowered community volunteers under the Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services  (KALAHI-CIDSS) project.

About 7,080 women partnered-beneficiaries are active Parent Leaders of the  Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), 6,499 women beneficiaries of Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP).

A total of 99,754 senior citizen women served for the Social Pension Program.

Listahanan Data Sharing 

Listahanan is the government’s information management system that identifies who and where the poor are nationwide.

The database of the poor serves as the basis for potential beneficiaries of various social protection programs and services.

The complete statistics of the regional profile of the poor households can be accessed through the DSWD regional website.

Interested parties to access the list of poor are required to comply with the standard Listahanan data-sharing guidelines.

The statistical characteristics of women in the region are released in observance of the 2023 National Women’s Month Celebration with the theme, “WE for gender equality and inclusive society.”###