00:00More families in the province are now living below the poverty line, this according to the PSA.
00:06Local leaders and the DSWD are eyeing targeted programs to boost income and bring development to communities most in need.
00:12Noel Talacay tells us more.
00:16Christian Palgan, 29, is a bellboy and sometimes a lobby cleaner and maintenance crew member in a small hotel in Pagadian City, Samuanga del Sur, Mindanao.
00:28He considers himself as poor.
00:47In order to meet his needs, he does sidelines by writing songs and poems and he is paid from 300 pesos to 400.
00:58But he says he seldom gets such projects.
01:09According to the Philippine Statistic Authority or PSA, the poverty incidence in Samuanga del Sur has increased.
01:16In 2021, 2 out of every 10 families in Samuanga del Sur were considered poor.
01:24And in 2023, 3 out of every 10 families were considered poor.
01:30According to the PSA, a family of 5 is considered poor if its income does not exceed more than 11,000 pesos in 2021.
01:41And in 2023, if it does not exceed more than 13,000 pesos, families with such income are unable to meet their needs for food and non-food items.
01:55Actually, yung poverty incidence dito, noong 2021, hindi kami mataas.
02:03But the PSA increased the threshold of the family income to 13,000 plus before 11,000 plus lang eh.
02:11The current governor of the said province is his wife and two of his children are seated in the House of Representatives.
02:19Thus, when the former governor was asked to address the increase in poverty incidence in Samuanga del Sur, he answered,
02:28With the assistance from the national government, I think slowly ma-co-up din namin yung poverty incidence ng province.
02:39Thus, DSWD Secretary Rex Gachalian visited Samuanga del Sur to assess what the agency can do to address poverty in the province.
02:48According to Gachalian, his agency has a mechanism in place for the development of poor areas.
02:55Kaya nga ako nandito ngayon kasi this is an operationalization of what the president said during his sona.
03:03Now, there is no area too far from him. There is no municipality or barangay so far from him.
03:09He will send all the cabinet secretaries to make sure that development gets to those areas that needs it the most.
03:15Currently, DSWD is implementing several projects in various areas of Samuanga del Sur aimed at addressing poverty such as Kalahi Seeds and many others.
03:27Noel Talakay from the National TV Network for New and Better Philippines.
