Nationwide, Maguindanao retained its “number two poorest” tag in 2000 and 2003 although in 1997, it ranked 27th.
Sulu, which was the “poorest” in 1997 and third in 2000, is now out of the circle of “poorest” provinces with a ranking of 13th nationwide as of 2003.
Lanao del Sur, the seventh “poorest” in 1997, became the fifth “poorest” in 2000 and is now 25th as of 2003.
Tawi-tawi, the 40th “poorest” in 1997, went down to 8th “poorest” in 2000 and is now 31st as of 2003.
Maguindanao’s poverty incidence was 41.6% in 1997, 59.3% in 2000 and 60.4% in 2003.
Sulu’s poverty incidence was 67.1% in 1997, 58.9% in 2000 and 45.1% in 2003. Lanao del Sur’s poverty incidence was 55.6% in 1997, 54.7% in 2000 and only 37.6% in 2003. Tawi-tawi’s poverty incidence was 35% in 1997, 52.4% in 2000 and 34.6% in 2003.
Basilan, the fifth ARMM province, joined the region only after the August 2001 plebiscite.
Camiguin, which ranked 6th in 2000, showed the most significant improvement, with poverty incidence dropping nearly 20% (19.7%) in 2003. Ranking 49th in 1997, its poverty incidence was 32.5% in 1997, up to 54.2% in 2000, but by 2003, it had gone down to 34.5%, placing Camiguin way outside the circle of “poorest,” at 33rd.
Of the “ten poorest” in the country, seven provinces are in Mindanao, two in Luzon and only one in the Visayas.
Zamboanga del Norte, which ranked 25th poorest in the country in 1997, was 17th in 2000, and as of the 2003 data, the “poorest” with poverty incidence of 64.6%.
Surigao del Norte ranked 24th in 2000 but went down to fourth “poorest” in 2003. Agusan del Sur went from number 9 in 2000 to number 5 in 2003. Agusan del Sur went from 35th in 2000 to 6th in 2003. Misamis Occidental ranked 18th in 2000 and 7th in 2003 while Lanao del Norte which ranked 12th in 2000, was 10th poorest, as of 2003.
MindaNews ranked Mindanao’s 25 provinces based on the NSCB records. As of 2003, the ranking as to “poorest” and their corresponding poverty incidence is as follows:
1. Zamboanga del Norte at 64.6%
2. Maguindanao at 60.4%
3. Surigao del Norte at 54.5%
4. Agusan del Sur at 52.8%
5. Surigao del Sur at 48.6%
6.Misamis Occidental at 48.1%
7. Lanao del Norte at 46.5%
8. Sulu at 45.1%
9. Sarangani at 44.4%
10. Sultan Kudarat at 41.5%
11. Zamboanga Sibugay at 40.7%
12. Lanao del Sur at 37.6%
13. Davao Orietnal at 37.2%
14. Bukidnon at 36.9%
15. Tawi-tawi at 34.6%
16. Camiguin at 34.5%
17.Compostela Valley and Zamboanga del Sur at 34.4%
18. Basilan at 33.5%
19. Agusan del Norte at 33.2%
20. Davao del Norte at 30.3%
21. Misamis Oriental at 28.5%
22. South Cotabato at 26.4%
23. North Cotabato at 26.1%
24. Davao del Sur at 24.2%
Caraga region which comprises the two Agusans and two Surigaos, as of the 2003 records, has taken over from the ARMM as the “poorest” region in Mindanao with a poverty incidence of 47.1% against the ARMM’s 45.4%. (Carolyn O. Arguillas/MindaNews)