CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY(November 21) — Misamis Oriental is betting on tighter program delivery and stronger support for low-income families as it aims to cut its poverty incidence to 10 percent within the next three years, provincial officials said Thursday.
Speaking at a regional technical working group (TWG) meeting, Board Member Princess Emano said the province hopes to help at least 10,000 families rise above poverty by 2028 — a target she believes is within reach with better coordination and services at the ground level.
“Hitting the 10 percent target by 2028 is achievable through effort, giving, and providing extra services to the people,” she said.
Emano noted that the province’s poverty reduction rate stood at 15.5 percent in 2023, and that farmers remain among the most affected — often earning less than middlemen who dominate agricultural trading.
The Philippine Statistics Authority earlier reported a 19 percent poverty incidence among Misamis Oriental families in 2021.
The TWG meeting, led by the National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC), outlined how local governments will craft their Local Poverty Reduction Action Plans to identify community-driven projects and more targeted interventions.
NAPC Secretary Lope Santos III said the Marcos administration is pushing to bring down national poverty to single digits, stressing that local governments will play a critical role.
“These local action plans will be key in identifying what communities actually need,” Santos said, adding that aligning national programs with barangay-level priorities could accelerate results.
For Misamis Oriental, officials say the fight against poverty will rely heavily on protecting farmers, boosting incomes, and cutting out exploitative trading chains — steps they believe can help turn the province’s targets into tangible gains for households by 2028.
