Aklan Remains Poorest In Region VI

by ODON S. BANDIOLA

Believe it or not, despite the tourism boom in this province, 38 percent of the total Aklanon families are living within or below the poverty threshold.

This is one of the highlights of the report released by the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB) as contained in its 2009 Official Poverty Statistics in a Poverty Forum held at the Sangguniang Panlalawigan Session Hall on May 19, 2011, just after the launching of the National Statistical Information Center (NSIC) at the 2nd Floor of the Provincial Capitol Building, Kalibo, Aklan.

The poverty incidence report for Aklan in 2009 used the refined methodology but both the NSCB old and refined methodology Official Poverty Statistics showed the same trend or pattern. Poverty incidence in Aklan had been increasing since 2003 in the old methodology. Poverty incidence in Aklan in 2003 is 33.5 percent of the total families, 42.6 percent in 2006 and 50.9 percent in 2009. In the refined methodology, 30.2 percent of the total numbers of families in Aklan are poor, 32.2 percent in 2006, and 38.1 percent in 2009.

The NSCB had been refining its methodology in official poverty estimation since 1992, which was first adopted in 1987. The refinements were made so as not to over estimate poverty. In 2003, it was further refined by using regional menus priced using provincial prices. The refinements in 2010 were undertaken to enhance comparability of estimate across space and over time.

The official poverty statistics of NSCB classifies poverty estimation into two: the food poor or core poor or subsistence incidence; and the poor or poverty incidence.

The food poor refers to families or individuals with per capita income less than the per capita food threshold while the poor refers to families or individuals with per capita income less than per capita poverty threshold. Poverty threshold refers to the minimum income required for the family or individual to meet the basic food and non-food requirements.

In 2009, a family of 5 in Aklan needed P162 per day to meet the basic food needs and P232 per day to stay out of poverty. This is much higher than the national average where a family of 5 needed P160 daily income to meet food needs and P231 per day to stay out of poverty. In Region VI, a family of 5 needed P154 per day to meet their basic food needs and P220 per day to stay out of poverty.

This means that the cost of living in the Province of Aklan is higher than in the region and thus the national level.

In 2006, 13 out of 100 families in Aklan were considered food poor while in 2009, 17 out of 100 families could not cope with their food requirements.

Aklan was poorer than Antique with 29.1 percent of its total number of families living below the poverty threshold, Negros Occidental with 24.4 percent Capiz with 22.6 percent, Iloilo 19.9 percent, and Guimaras, 13.3 percent (2009 figures).

The 2009 official poverty statistics was presented in the said poverty forum by Bernadette Balamban, Chief, Poverty, Labor, Human Development and Gender, Statistics Division, NSCB.

The source from the National Economic and Development Authority said that tourism receipts of about P14 billion annually brought by 700 thousand tourist arrivals in Boracay has no trickle down effect on Aklan’s population but only benefit the business sector and not the marginalized population of the province. This is evident in the fact that even the town of Malay is included in the national government 4P’s program. The same source further added that excellence in local governance has no direct bearing to poverty reduction, Malay being a 1st class municipality and Aklan, soon to be classified as a 1st class province. /MP