Jan 25, 2012
Poverty in the Philippines: Poorest Provinces
(Note: This piece is a segment from a larger article “Poverty in the Philippines: A Profile”, showcased in Focus-Philippines’ upcoming Poverty Policy Review)
Top Fifteen Poorest Provinces, by Household Incidence
| 2003 | 2006 |
2009 |
|||
| Province | Incidence (%) | Province | Incidence (%) | Province | Incidence (%) |
| Zamboanga del Norte | 59.5 | Zamboanga del Norte | 54.1 | Zamboanga del Norte | 52.9 |
| Masbate | 50.2 | Tawi-Tawi | 49.1 | Agusan del Sur | 51.2 |
| Agusan del Sur | 48.5 | Agusan del Sur | 45.5 | Surigao del Norte | 47.9 |
| Siquijor | 45.5 | Maguindanao | 44.9 | Eastern Samar | 45.8 |
| Negros Oriental | 43.6 | Negros Oriental | 44.4 | Maguindanao | 44.6 |
| Zamboanga Sibugay | 43.3 | Bohol | 43.7 | Zamboanga Sibugay | 43.2 |
| Surigao del Norte | 42.3 | Northern Samar | 43.3 | Romblon | 43.0 |
| Maguindanao | 41.9 | Masbate | 42.9 | Masbate | 42.5 |
| Camarines Norte | 40.7 | Surigao del Norte | 41.6 | Davao Oriental | 42.5 |
| Bohol | 40.2 | Mindoro Occiental / Romblon | 40.6 | Northern Samar | 41.7 |
| Camarines Sur | 38.3 | Davao Oriental | 39.0 | Bohol | 41.0 |
| Northern Samar | 37.4 | Sultan Kudarat | 38.7 | Saranggani | 40.7 |
| Sultan Kudarat | 37.3 | Misamis Oriental | 38.2 | Sulu | 39.3 |
| Misamis Oriental | 37.0 | Eastern Samar | 37.6 | Lanao del Norte | 39.0 |
| Saranggani | 36.7 | Sulu | 36.7 | Camarines Sur | 38.7 |
Source: National Statistical Coordination Board, (FIES 2009)
The proliferation of poverty across geographical regions is never even, and an often observed dynamic is a growth in poverty incidence levels in provinces geographically and infrastructurally disjointed from more highly-capitalized metropoles. Scanning the Philippine provinces where the reality of poverty seems to be most acute, this pattern once more seems to hold water: most of the archipelago’s poorest provinces seem to be those which are conspicuously distanced from urban centres by land, mountain range or sea. Generally, they are also those where existing transport and logistics infrastructures are known to be defective.
The provinces which constantly rank among the poorest from 2003-2009, averaged in terms of their poverty incidence throughout those years, are Zamboanga del Norte (55.5%), Agusan del Sur (48.4%), Masbate (45.2%), Surigao del Norte (43.9%), Maguindanao (43.8%), Bohol (42.6%), and Northern Samar (40.8%). While this list is hardly exhaustive, these are likely provinces where poverty over the years is not only pronounced, but also chronic in its manifestations.