The severity of poverty index in 2000 for the country was 3.4 percent, only 0.1 percentage point lower than the 1997 index of 3.5 percent.   

Poverty was most severe in Masbate, with a severity index of 10.1 percent.  Saranggani and Mt. Province came next, with 9.7 and 9.3 percent, respectively (Table 1).  Six (6) of the ten provinces where poverty was most severe were coming from Luzon - with 3 of them coming from CAR,  2 from Region 4, and 1 from Region 5.

Table 1.  Ten Provinces With Highest Severity of Poverty, 2000

Source:  Social Sectors B Division, NSCB

Poverty situation, on the other hand, was less severe in Batanes in 2000 as it posted a poverty severity index of 0.1 percent (Table 2).  Coming closely were the 2^nd and 4^th districts of NCR, with 0.2 and 0.3 percent, respectively.  In the ten provinces/areas listed below, poverty was less severe.

Table 2.  Ten Provinces/Areas With Lowest Severity of Poverty, 2000

Source:  Social Sectors B Division, NSCB

Severity of Poverty - is the total of the squared income shortfall (expressed in proportion to the poverty line) of families with income below the poverty threshold, divided by the total number of families. This is equal to the Foster-Greer-Thorbecke (FGT) family of measures with  alpha= 2. It is a poverty measure which is sensitive to the income distribution among the poor - the worse this distribution is, the more severe poverty is.

Notes on this Release:
• 1st District - Manila
• 2nd District - Mandaluyong, Marikina, Pasig, Quezon City, and San Juan
• 3rd District - Valenzuela, Caloocan City, Malabon, and Navotas
• 4th District - Las Pinas, Makati, Muntinlupa, Paranaque, Pasay City, Pateros, and Taguig