Poverty incidence in the Cordillera region has gone down a few percentage points but remains at a double digit value, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) revealed on Wednesday.
PSA data shows that 2023 had seen a poverty incidence average regionwide of 10.9 percent, down from 13.2 percent the preceding year.
“This data has earned CAR as (having) the second lowest poverty incidence among the 18 regions in the country. The improved poverty incidence at the regional level is also reflected in the sustained decreasing poverty incidence in all provinces of the Cordillera,” National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA)-CAR Assistant Director Apollo Pagano said.
The PSA defines “poor” as individuals and families who cannot afford in a sustained manner to provide their minimum basic needs like food, health, education, housing and other essentials.
Baguio City recorded a 0.53 percent poverty incidence among families, followed by Apayao with 1.16 percent, and Kalinga, 1.21 percent. Benguet has the highest poverty incidence among families in the region, with 5.61 percent.
The region has a significantly higher poverty incidence figure among the populace, which tracks poverty on an individual level. Poverty incidence among families takes into account population aggregated as family units and households, while among the populace, it is on a per capita basis.
In terms of the poverty incidence among the populace, Baguio registered the lowest at 2.98 percent, followed by Apayao with 7.27 percent, Kalinga, 9.52 percent, Ifugao, 15.79 percent, Mountain Province, 32.49 percent, and Abra, 34.30 percent.
