SIQUIJOR, Siquijor (PIA) -- The town of Enrique Villanueva ranked first in terms of safety, education, and employment in Siquijor province, according to the 2022 Community Based Monitoring System (CBMS) of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).

The towns of Enrique Villanueva, Larena, Maria, and San Juan were among the six towns in Siquijor province that were included in the 2022 CBMS. 

CBMS is a technology-based system of collecting data that can be used as a basis for poverty alleviation programs. 

It aims to promote evidence-based decision-making, planning, and program implementation.

Data generated by the system include localized facts, figures, and maps on the different dimensions of poverty such as health, nutrition, water, sanitation, shelter, education, income, employment, security, and participation.

During the turnover of the CBMS data to the local government units, Enrique Villanueva Sangguniang Bayan Member Belinda Inao said the CBMS results are accurate as these are what the residents experience in their town.

"Tinuod gyud ang resulta sa CBMS. In terms of peace, tinuod nga peaceful gyod ang Talingting. In fact, daghang balay nga matulog nga open windows. (The results of the CBMS are really true. In terms of peace and order, Talingting is really peaceful. In fact, the residents sleep with their house windows open),” said Inao. 

Enrique Villanueva, also known as Talingting, is a fifth-class municipality located 22 kilometers from the capital town of Siquijor.

Perception on safety

With a response rate of 100 percent from its total 14 barangays covering 1,769 responding households with 6,438 individuals, Enrique Villanueva logged a 99.45 percent rating in households’ perception on safety for the past 12 months. 

Larena town came next with 98.68 percent, Maria with 98.04 percent, and San Juan with 97 percent.

School attendance 

In terms of providing quality education and gender equality, Enrique Villanueva recorded the highest rate of school attendance, with 82.80 percent among 3 to 24-year-old females and 81.83 percent among males attending school. 

The top three reasons for not going to school in most of the municipalities are employment, marriage, illness, disability, family problems, or are not interested at all, said PSA supervising statistical specialist and PSA officer-in-charge Joselito Maghanoy. 

Inao stressed that the residents also put a lot of value on education, which she attributes to the low unemployment rate in Enrique Villanueva. 

“Education ang priority sa taga Talingting ug dili ma employ molangyaw aron magamit ang iniskuylahan. Mao nga way gapundo nga unemployed sa Talingting. (Education is a priority among the residents. If they can’t find a job here, they seek employment outside the province. This is why there’s only a small number of unemployed in our town),” she said. 

Labor force 

Labor force participation rate is also high in Enrique Villanueva with 76.1 percent male and 73.53 percent female, or an average of 74.84 percent in both sexes 15 years old and over. 

Labor force participation rate is the measure of the proportion of the country’s working population that is actively engaged in the labor market, either by working or looking for work. 

San Juan town has 63.95 percent in both sexes, Maria with 60.25 percent, and Larena town with 59.46 percent. 

‘A disappointment and a challenge’ 

Finding several issues and concerns that their local government need to address, San Juan municipal planning development coordinator Letty Y. Mamhot said she was both challenged and disappointed by the CBMS results.

"Mura kog nadismaya sa data kay San Juan is a tourism capital pero kinatas-an mi sa  unemployment rate.(I’m dismayed by the data because San Juan is a tourism capital but it turns out we are highest when it comes to unemployment rate),” said Mamhot.

Now that CBMS has identified this problem, she said their municipality will take steps to address their high unemployment rate. 

“With this data, we will prioritize and find solutions ani nga mga  problema. Salamat CBMS. (With this data, we will prioritize and find solutions to these problems. Thank you, CBMS),” added Mamhot.

San Juan town holds the highest unemployment rate with 7.57 percent among males  and 10.25 percent among females, or an average of 8.74 percent in both sexes.

Maria town followed with 7.05 percent, Larena with 6.71 percent, and Enrique Villanueva with 4.04 percent. (RAC/CAG/MFH/PIA7 Siquijor)