The economic growth of the region is not exactly indicative of how each family is doing.
While we see a lot of development in the region, Central Visayas ranks third nationwide in terms of the number of poor families based on the 2006 Poverty Statistics of the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB).
Figures show that Region VII has a total of 391,484 poor families or an 8.4 percent share of the national total.
Ranked first is Region VI or Western Visayas with 425,571 families or 9.1 percent followed closely by Region V or Bicol with 422,278 or 9 percent.
At fourth spot is Region IV-A with 374,952 or 8 percent followed by Region VIII or Eastern Visayas with 331,426 or 7.1 percent.
Completing the top ten are Region III, ARMM, Region X, Region XI, and Region XII.
The Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) has the lowest number of poor families with 87,050 or only 1.9 percent or the national total.
The NSCB explained that the magnitude of poor families is determined by comparing the food threshold and the poverty threshold.
These are the minimum income required for a family or individual to meet the nutritionally basic food needs and the minimum income required for a family or individual to meet the basic food and non-food requirements, respectively.
Based on data from the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), the poverty threshold of the country is P 13,390 per capita annually.
The NSCB 2006 Statistics show that a family of five in Cebu needs a monthly income of P 4,040 to meet the basic food needs.
Based on the same data, the poverty line in Central Visayas is P 5,579 for a family of five.
In Cebu it is P 5, 817.
Based on the survey, the NSCB cites the fare hike, the expanded value added tax (E-VAT) and failure of government to increase the salaries of its employees could be among the main reasons to blame for the poverty.
Other reasons are more natural in nature like calamities.
The NSCB computed the poverty statistics using income-based food and non-food expense estimation, price data, and the regional and provincial menu of prices.
The 2006 Poverty Statistics is considered the most comprehensive and complete documentation of the NSCB survey. — Annie Hazel D. Basada and Rizzi Ann Cerera, UP Tacloban CommArts interns/NLQ