TUGUEGARAO CITY, Cagayan — The Provincial Local Government Unit (PLGU) of Cagayan is benchmarking the Social Welfare and Development Indicator (SWDI) of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) as it develops its own comprehensive household assessment tool for the province’s No Household Left Behind (NHLB) Program.

Led by Board Member Atty. Engelbert “Jojo” Caronan, the PLGU Cagayan conducted a coordination meeting with the Department of Social Welfare and Development Field Office 2 (DSWD FO2) on August 13, 2026, to learn from the 4Ps’ experience in assessing household well-being, vulnerabilities, risks, and needs.

The benchmarking is not intended to replicate the 4Ps SWDI but to draw from its comprehensive approach in developing an assessment mechanism suited to the NHLB Program. The SWDI considers various dimensions of household well-being, including economic sufficiency and social adequacy, while also looking into vulnerabilities and risks that may affect a family’s condition.

For the PLGU, the comprehensive nature of the SWDI provides a useful reference in determining what information and indicators should be considered in assessing NHLB households. A similar needs-based assessment mechanism can help the province identify the specific circumstances of families and determine the appropriate interventions, whether financial assistance, livelihood support, employment opportunities, social services, or referrals to other government programs.

The benchmarking is also part of the DSWD’s commitment to support the NHLB Program through technical assistance. Under the partnership, DSWD FO2 may provide assistance in the formulation of the provincial Social Protection Development and Report (SPDR), which provides a comprehensive assessment of the social protection situation of an LGU, particularly its risks and vulnerabilities.

The Department likewise committed to provide support in social case management, which plays a fundamental role in addressing the needs of NHLB beneficiaries from program inception to aftercare, and Community-Driven Development (CDD) to encourage beneficiaries to participate in the design, implementation, and management of interventions.

In addition, DSWD FO2 may support the NHLB through data sharing of its program portfolio, subject to existing rules and regulations, as well as through the sharing of institutional knowledge on beneficiary enumeration and other relevant social protection practices.