Biliran posts biggest gains in campaign against poverty
March 25th, 2008
Province is top performer in poverty alleviation among 80 LGUs
By JACK C. GADAINGAN, Manila Bulletin
NAVAL, Biliran — The poverty situation may not be too good as shown by records from the National Statistics and Census Board (NSCB), but Biliran province has proven to be the exact opposite by posting the largest decrease in poverty incidence among the country’s 80 provinces.
Based on the 2006 NSCB data, Biliran had gained a 15.1 percentage point decrease of poverty incidence from 46.5 in 2003 down to 31.4 in 2006, even lower than its 2000 figure of 33.3 percent.
The 2006 poverty statistics was officially released to the public last March 5, following a programmed release two years after the reference year.
The report showed that there are 27.6 million poor Filipinos in 2006, up by 3.8 million or 16 percent from its 2003 figure of 23.8 million poor Filipinos.
In contrast, Biliran province bounced back from being number 9th in the top 50 poorest provinces in the country in 2003, up to number 49th in 2006. Before that, Biliran ranked 44th in 2000. It showed that somehow the province suffered a major setback in 2003.
Biliran Gov. Rogelio Espina explained that the sudden surge of poverty incidence in 2003 was caused by “Egay” and “Gilas”, two of the most severe typhoons which hit the country and passed directly over this island province.
The multi-million damage to crops, infrastructure, dwellings, public facilities, disruption in local trade and commerce, and most especially the source of income and livelihood of majority of the residents was reflected in the 2003 poverty survey of NSCB, which resulted to more families under the poverty line.
The province’s sinking to the 9th poorest province in the country in 2003 had prompted the governor to carry out measures to alleviate poverty and spur local economy.
He launched a food self-sufficiency program that diversified into livestock, high-value crops, and fruit trees on top of increasing rice production.
Increasing the availability of food during this period, the Espina also implemented a capitalization program for small businessmen, cooperatives, and even the marginal fishermen, farmers, vendors, and the like which had encouraged growth of the local economy.
Espina’s political rivals had been using the 2003 poverty incidence as an issue against his leadership and administration, claiming that poverty was worsening in Biliran under his watch.
The governor said that as his detractors had been proven wrong, the issue came to rest.
“No matter how well my detractors can twist the facts to satisfy their malicious intent, the NSCB data is there to stay. I felt vindicated,” he added.
Tags: Biliran Gov. Rogelio Espina
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8 Comments for Biliran posts biggest gains in campaign against poverty
1.
Jack and Jill
March 26th, 2008 at 1:46 pm
Someone is singing a childish song for the gov.
Is Jack G too childish or writer for hire?
Poverty reduction in Biliran due to one man?
He got to be kidding to all hard-working Biliranons local and overseas….
How about the contirbutions from the OFW and the expats?
We thought these band of Filipinos(or Biliranons) are the modern economic heroes by sending money back home to send someone to school, when family member is sick, to
go someones’ relatives/friends into business(with no ROI), to support daily sustenance, and whatever…
Just being ignored by the NSCB? Any statistics how much money flow to the province from the forgotten heroes?
How about past, present, and future loans by the provincial government?
Who pay for those utang? RE? Biliran Garden Resort fully paid?
Common, Jack sing a different tune. Play the mature and smart music to entertain the majority of the Biliran population. One-man band of music is so so so BORING!
Jack, is your article paid advertisement or an unselfish promotion?
2.
Aquarius
March 26th, 2008 at 6:13 pm
There seems to be an inconsistency here. Just last January 2008, Biliran was the only province in the entire Visayas to benefit from the PGMA Caravan as it belongs to Group 2 of the top poorest provinces in the entire country.
Please read my comments to the PIA press release on the matter.
Aquarius [ Quote ]
January 27th, 2008 at 7:03 am
Quoted from a PIA press release found on the home page: “Biliran is beneficiary…”
“Biliran province is the only province in the entire Visayas to benefit from the PGMA caravan as it belongs to the group 2 of the top 20 poorest provinces in the entire country.”
I welcome the caravan to Biliran. However, this confirms, that indeed:
“Biliran Province belongs to group 2 of the top 20 poorest provinces in the entire country.”
That is courtesy of the 12 years of The Espina Dynasty’s rule in Biliran.
This RE-AFFIRMS our previous claim during the election campaign that indeed, the Espina Dynasty has driven Biliran to being one of the top 20 poorest provinces in the entire country; while their treasures grew in leaps and bounds in their last 12 years of total control of the province.
3.
Aquarius
March 26th, 2008 at 6:18 pm
This is a re-post of the Biliran PIA media release on this blog.
Biliran is beneficiary to pgma caravan
by: Flor Jackson, PIA BILIRAN
Naval, Biliran (January 25) – The people of Biliran have everything to thank President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and former Governor of Leyte and Congresswoman of the 1st district of Leyte, Hon. Remedios “Matin” Petilla who is now the Philippine Gaming and Amusements Corporation (PAGCOR) Vice President for President Arroyo’s Program on Social Development and also the Chairman of the Board of Directors of IBC Channel 13 for making Biliran province as the first beneficiary of the People’s Government Mobile Action (PGMA) Caravan.
Ma’am Matin as she is fondly called by her constituents in Leyte province who personally visited Biliran province the other day led the team from PAGCOR in meeting the officials of the province led by Gov. Rogelio Espina and the national government agencies to make the early preparations for the official visit of the PGMA caravan.
She said that the caravan is scheduled to arrive in Biliran province of February 25 – March 2 this year to set a six-day medical, surgical and dental mission to include the delivery of basic services by the concerned line agencies of the government to the Biliranons.
During the meeting, the regional and provincial heads of the different national agencies based in the province were asked to speak out for their agency’s contributions to the success of the PGMA caravan in the province.
Part of the services to be enjoyed by the Biliranons during the six-day PGMA caravan is the passporting services to be conducted by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) in coordination with the National Statistics Office (NSO) and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) for the authenticated documents and the clearance needed to get a passport, respectively.
Line agencies of the government who are part of the caravan for the delivery of basic services to Biliran will be stationed at the Naval Institute of Technology (NIT) gymnasium in Naval town while the medical treatment, surgery and dental services will be held at the Biliran Provincial Hospital, also in the municipality of Naval, the capital town of the province.
This early, Ma’am Matin is encouraging the patients who will avail of the health services of the caravan especially those who will undergo surgery to submit themselves for listing and pre-screening of their illnesses before the final screening to be done by the surgeons themselves upon their arrival in Biliran on Feb. 25 to ensure that they will qualify to be operated on.
A separate medical mission will also be conducted in the municipality of Kawayan on February 27 and in Caibiran of Biliran province on Februay 28 as part of the six-day PGMA caravan.
Ma’am Matin thanked Gov. Espina for putting things together in preparing Biliran province for the scheduled PGMA Caravan.
“It’s not shameful to be poor but in some areas you need help”, she said.
She asked the people of Biliran, together with the national government agencies (NGAs) to maintain the benefits given by the PGMA caravan in Biliran as she said that the NGAs are mandated to support the activities of the caravan.
From Biliran province the caravan will proceed to the province of Zamboanga for the same services they will give to the people in the area.
“We will also visit all other provinces so that we can feel the benefits of the program intended for the poorest of the poor”, she said.
She relayed the congratulatory note of Gov. Jericho “Icot” Petilla to Biliran for being one of the beneficiares of the PGMA caravan.
The provincial govenrment of Leyte through Gov. Petilla will send five doctors, two surgeons and five dentists as their contribution and help to the PGMA caravan in Biliran.
Biliran province is the only province in the entire Visayas to benefit from the PGMA caravan as it belongs to the group 2 of the top 20 poorest provinces in the entire country.
President Arroyo has launched the PGMA caravan under the sponsorship of PAGCOR to help the people of the poorest of the poor provinces improve their living conditions.
PGMA caravan is one of the programs of the hunger mitigation efforts of President Arroyo.
As the preparatory meeting of the PGMA caravan was about to end, Gov. Espina thanked President Arroyo and PAGCOR Vice President Remedios “Matin” Petilla for bringing in the caravan to Biliran province.
4.
Aquarius
March 26th, 2008 at 6:28 pm
Rep Glenn Chong
KKB
I suggest that the statistics released be scrutinized for accuracy. It is welcome news if it can be verified to be true.
I just find it inconsistent that just last January, Biliran was on the only province in the Eastern Visayas to benefit form PGMA’s caravan due to its inclusion to the Group 2 of the top 20 poorest provinces in the entire country.
5.
flint
March 29th, 2008 at 1:46 pm
Some people here are quick to accept as gospel truth, news that can be used to drag down Governor Espina, but when a news seems to praise the governor, these people turn to be so doubtful.
If truly Biliran posted 15 percent reduction in poverty incidence during the Espinas governance, can we not give them some credit for it?
6.
flint
March 29th, 2008 at 1:52 pm
wala man mosulod akong previous comment
7.
Aquarius
March 30th, 2008 at 3:21 am
flint 5
My previous post stated that if the data is accurate it is welcome news. However, my concern is the abrupt swing of variances that do not reflect the actual situation in Biliran.
Jack Gadaingan, a paid columnist of the Provincial Capitol, has the propensity to spin news to create a seemingly positive outlook to enhance the image of the Espina Dynasty. Further, with all due respect to NCSB, the data is only good as it reflects the real situation of the targeted samplings.
There is such thing as statistical probabilities and improbabilities. Biliran’s inclusion in the PGMA caravan did not just happen because Biliran was lucky. Biliran was the only province in the Eastern Visayas included in the PGMA Caravan in January 2008 as it belongs to Group 2 of the poorest provinces in the entire country.
To quote “President Arroyo has launched the PGMA caravan under the sponsorship of PAGCOR to help the people of the poorest of the poor provinces improve their living condition”
Former Congressman and Mayor Gerry Espina Sr and the Espina Dynasty had totally controlled Biliran for the last 12 years until his defeat in 2007. As such, the status of Biliran as one among the top poorest provinces in the entire country reflects the damage his rule inflicted on the Biliranons.
There is absolutely no credit owing here. If ever statistics show an improvement, it is just a small redemption of previous abuses which resulted to the poverty of the Biliranons.
Statistics is only good as it reflects the true situation of the target locality. In this case, the stats do not support the true situation of Biliranons.
8.
kokabura
March 30th, 2008 at 5:31 pm
To Flint 5…..you know flint if u only knew the situation regarding biliran specially the governance of gov roger u will really say that he is nice sa mukha lang But if u really see whats inside of him being a gov of 3 year termer you will relly SHOCK because truthfully he is such a pathetic LIAR honestly speaking kung titingnan mo mukha niya parang hindi makabasag and fragile SOS kung alam mo lang pati mga medisina at gamit hospital GRABEH!!!di namin matatangap ginagawa nila sa amin SOBRA na talaga.
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