[Philippines] Poverty in Cordillera worsened, says study

from The INQ7 network

BAGUIO CITY—Cordillera poverty worsened in 2005, with Mt. Province now competing with Ifugao as the country’s fourth poorest province.

Using new statistical instruments to measure poverty, the Regional Development Council (RDC) in the Cordillera concluded that 2005 had been “the least performing year” for the first region created after the 1986 Edsa Revolt, said Leon Dacanay, Cordillera assistant director of the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda).

But the “dismal” growth pattern has not convinced the region’s largely indigenous peoples’ population to embrace mining to alleviate poverty here, the Neda admitted.

No new mining investments poured into the region, said Juan Ngalob, Neda Cordillera director, although the RDC has adopted a policy on “responsible mining that is anchored on public acceptability.”

Benguet hosted the country’s oldest mines, like Benguet Corp., but both Benguet and Mt. Province have rejected offers to rebuild a mining industry in their areas, Ngalob said.

Quoting an Ifugao official, Dacanay said “we may not have money, but we are not hungry.”

The National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB) reported a significant reduction in the number of poor Cordillera families, after it tallied a drop from 43.6 percent in 2000 to 34.5 percent in 2003.

But last year, the region fell short of meeting its 670,000-job target, generating jobs for only 622,000 Cordillerans.

Between January and July last year, the Cordillera economy could only accommodate 3,000 new employees for its service sector.