By MEDIA
SOLUTIONS
LEGAZPI CITY: Albay province recorded the
poorest economic performance among six Bicol provinces even as Gov Joey Salceda
blamed the calamities that hit his province for its rising poverty incidence as
revealed by the latest data released by the National Statistical Coordination
Board (NSCB) recently.
The
poverty data showed Albay as being the only province in Bicol region which
registered a steady increase in poverty incidence since 2006.
It was
also one of the only two provinces which registered an increase in poverty for
the period 2009 to 2012 from 33.9 to 36.1 , the other one being the province of Catanduanes.
Albay was
also one of the only two Bicol provinces which exceeded the regional poverty
incidence pegged at 34.1.
Albay had
36.1 and the other province was Masbate with
44.2. Though Masbate registered a decrease in
poverty statistics it remained on the top spot, followed by Albay.
Reached
for comment, Salceda said in an email to Media Solutions that the increase was
“mainly due to Typhoon Juaning of 2011 which affected 37,000 families in
Polangui, Malinao, Oas, and Libon. Families with houses significantly destroyed
mounted to 16,000.
“The 2.2
per cent increase is equal to 4,400 families. Yet due to the anticipated
impact, DSWD increased the 4Ps from 11,000 in 2012 to 72,000 in 2013.”
Queried
why the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) drastically raised
the number of beneficiaries of Pantawid-Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) to
72,000 last year when the number of families affected by Typhoon Juaning in
2011 was only 37,000, Salceda replied:
“The
increase in 4Ps from 11,000 to 70,000 was the response of DSWD to the impact of
the Typhoon Juaning and it was not as if the poverty statistics was already
clear by then.”
The
governor also cited that from “2006-2009, Typhoons Reming (and) Milenyo and two
Mayon eruptions” added to the economic woes of Albayanos.
During this period
Salceda was among the economic advisers of the Arroyo administration and was
one of the “select favorites” of then Pres Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in terms of
fund allocations.
Albay was
known locally and internationally as “climate change champion” and has
established a Climate
Change Academy
as testament to its expertise which was supposed to shield its people from the
backlash of calamities.
Asked why
its purported “expertise” on climate change adaptation failed to protect his
people, Salceda replied, “Without the adaptation programs, the poverty
incidence would have been much worse-it would have spiked by 7 per cent.”
With
optimism, the governor said, “with the forthcoming yearly poverty statistics, I
am sure we will see how the absence of typhoons since 2012 combined with the
full impact of our economic strategies (shifting to tourism) will reduce
poverty by at least five per cent in 2013 alone.”
Meanwhile,
CamNorte chalked up the highest reduction in poverty incidence with 7.7 per cent
from 32.4 per cent in 2009 to 24.7 per cent, the lowest in the region.
Next in
terms of reduction was Masbate with 5.6 per cent drop from with 49.8 in 2009 to
44.2 per cent in 2012, though was not enough to dislodge it from the top rank
as having the highest poverty incidence in Bicol. Camarines Sur also scored a
3.7 per cent drop in the number from 37.2 to 33.5 per cent but remained third
in ranking while Sorsogon registered a 2.2 per cent reduction from 34.3 per
cent to just 32.1 and was on the fourth place. The province of Catanduanes
registered the highest increase with 6.8 per cent but remained as having the
the second lowest poverty incidence of 27.1 per cent. – Bicol Mail
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