Bohol is the best poverty-fighting province in Central Visayas so that it has even dramatically moved out of the top spot, according to a latest socio-economic agency report released on Friday. The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) cited Bohol under Gov. Edgar Chatto as the “best performing province” in Region 7 in poverty reduction. “From having the highest poverty incidence in 2006 and 2009, Bohol was able to significantly bring down poverty incidence among families and population in 2012,” NEDA said, also quoting data from the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB). In tandem with Bohol's first-ever lady vice governor, Concepcion Lim, Chatto has initiated and institutionalized inclusive growth programs and projects since assuming in 2010. The capitol duo, with full support from fellow leaders, has adorned Bohol a fame of no equal in the past---the best governed province in the country. According to the NEDA, Bohol had been the region's “poorest” province with highest poverty incidence rates of 40.3% in 2006 and 36.6% in 2009. But not until the incumbent administration pulled them down to 30.6% two years after Chatto assumed the top capitol office.

The NEDA also reported that Bohol and Cebu registered declining subsistence incidence among families and among population in 2009 and 2012 contrary to the rise in the case of Negros and Siquijor. Extreme poverty or subsistence incidence is a poverty measured in terms of one's capacity to satisfy basic food requirements. The NEDA report was released and presented during the Regional Development Council (RDC-7) Advisory Council meeting at Harolds Hotel in Cebu City on Friday. It was the first advisory body meeting of the powerful RDC under the Bohol governor as new chairman by virtue of his appointment by Pres. Benigno S. Aquino III. Also in the meeting were the Central Visayas congressmen, including Bohol Reps. Rene Relampagos, Aris Aumentado and Arthur Yap, other RDC officials and sectoral committee chairmen representing the private sector. Yesterday, Chatto led Bohol officials to the groundbreaking of another huge tourism investment in Panglao and, on Bohol Day on Tuesday, July 22, will launch with top PLDT brass the Bohol fiber optic network installed at P.6 billion. The governor is fresh from his successful investment, tourism, environment and risk management mission in Japan which government, thru the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), has principally assisted the new Bohol airport project. Using a lot of right brains and whose hot pursuit for sustainable development tends to rival the fire of his passion to serve, Chatto have all these and more intended to achieve a truly inclusive growth for the Boholanos. Inclusive growth is a development that can benefit all, with intended bias for the economically lest, last and lost.

The NEDA report further showed that except for Negros Oriental, all provinces in the region posted declining poverty incidence among families. While Cebu continued to register the lowest poverty incidence among families and population, “the best performing province in Central Visayas in poverty reduction, however, is Bohol,” NEDA said. Negros' poverty incidence at 38.2% in 2006 did amazingly drop to 28.0% in 2009 but then again rose in 2012, this time to an even record-high of 43.9%. NEDA also reported that Negros was the only province in the region that saw poverty worsening in two years ago, explaining why it has presently the highest poverty incidence. The agency detailed that Bohol performed best in reducing the proportion of families as well as population living in extreme poverty. Region-wide, income distribution has remained largely unequal, indicating that there has been no significant improvement in terms of closing the income disparity between the rich and poor. Siquijor has the lesser amount needed by a poor family to “move out of poverty.”

But the NEDA assessment at the same time suggests Bohol to hit its current and future targets because Negros, which had then outperformed other provinces in poverty reduction, only rated poorest after a series of disasters, notably the typhoon Sendong in 2011 and 6.9 magnitude earthquake and typhoon Pablo in 2012. As it is resolved and calculating because recovery effort cannot come fast and easy, Bohol is ensuring to maintain an investment upswing while concreting more partnerships and multilateral arrangements, including foreign support ties, Chatto said. At the same time, his administration is strategizing more to keep agriculture in shape as the economic backbone of the province and not make farmers become framers of a decay of food program simply for lack of support from tasked agencies. (VenC. Arigo)