Kapalong ranks highest in poverty reduction in R-XI

DAVAO CITY- The municipality of Kapalong posted the highest reduction among poverty incidence among local government units in Davao Region .

Based in the 2009 Small Area Estimates which was released just this year Kapalong reduced its poverty incidence by 29.7% from the last SAE conducted in 2003. Kapalong’s 2003 poverty incidence rate was 51.2% with 2009 figures down to just 21.5%.

Guesting at the Club 888 Media Forum at Marco Polo Davao yesterday (Aug. 8) National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB) regional chief Estalla Turingan said that a number of factors contributed to the decline of poverty incidence in Kapalong among with the other most LGUs. She said that further studies could be conducted to determine the factors in the decline of poor people in the municipality.

Turingan hopes that local governments could have a better appreciation of what is presented in the statistics particularly in the formulation of governance policies.

Poverty Incidence as defined by NSCB refers to the proportion of population or families with per capita income less than the per capita poverty threshold to the total number of population or families.  Per capita poverty threshold in region XI is estimated at P47 a day or P17, 155 this includes minimum income requirement for food and non-food needs.

In contrast to Kapalong, the town of Cateel posted the highest increase of poverty incidence in the region with 14.17% increase. Cateel’s poverty incidence was 39.3 in 2003 and 53.5 in 2009.

Davao City ranks the least poorest local government unit in region XIand also in Mindanao with a poverty incidence of 13.2 this was down 1.7% from 2003’s figure of 14.9.

Jose Abad Santos in Davao del Sur is the poorest local government unit in Region-XI and third poorest in the whole of Mindanao with a poverty incidence of 72.3 in 2009, however the municipality reduced its poverty incidence by 12.3% from the 2003 figure of 84.6 and is cited as among the top ten most improved local governments in terms of poverty incidence reduction in the region.

The poorest local government unit in Mindanao and also in the country is the Municipality of Siayan in Zamboanga del Norte with 79.9% poverty incidence, however the municipality was able to reduce its poverty incidence as compared to 2003 figures of 97.46.  (PIA 11 /RG Alama)