March 19, 2008
Estimates of the National
Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB) showed that Region 1’s poverty incidence
among families increased to 26.2 percent in 2006 compared to 24.4 percent in 2003. This is, however, lower than the 29.5
percent poverty incidence in 2000. In terms of poverty incidence among
population, 33 out of 100 Ilocanos were poor in 2006 compared to 30 in 2003.
A Region 1 family with
five members needed a monthly income of
P 6,648 in 2006 to be able to meet their minimum basic food and nonfood
requirements. This is about 20.1
percent higher than the amount in 2003.
To be able to provide for their family’s basic food needs, a family of
five needed P 4,420 monthly income in 2006, an increase of 19.2 percent from 2003.
All of the provinces of
Region 1, except Ilocos Norte, posted higher poverty incidences in 2006
compared to 2003. Pangasinan and La
Union posted the highest poverty incidence among families at 27.6 percent in
2006 compared to 25.8 percent and 24.6 percent, respectively, in 2003. Ilocos Sur’s poverty incidence increased to
27.2 percent in 2006 from 22.8 percent in 2003, an increase of about 4.4
percentage points - the highest among the region’s provinces. Ilocos Norte’s poverty incidence in 2006
decreased to 17.1 percent in 2006 compared to 19.6 percent in 2003.
For the poverty incidence
among the population, Pangasinan recorded the highest at 35.0 percent in 2006,
higher than the 31.7 percent in 2003. Ilocos Sur and La Union followed with a poverty incidence of 32.6
percent. This is higher than their
poverty incidences in 2003 at 28.4 percent for Ilocos Sur and 30.2 percent for
La Union. Ilocos Norte’s poverty
incidence decreased to 21.2 percent in 2006 from 24.6 percent in 2003.
The tables of the poverty estimates for Region 1 and the other regions could be accessed at http://www.nscb.gov.ph/poverty.