Fr. Rogelio Tabuada, OMI, Chief-Executive-Officer

Eva Kimpo - Tan, Editor-in-Chief

Edwin O. Fernandez, News Editor

Gemma A. Peñaflor, Administration and Marketing Executive

Julito P. Torres, Circulation Officer

John M. Unson, Ferdinandh B. Cabrera, Charlie C. Señase

Nash B. Maulana

NORTH / SOUTH COTABATO CORRESPONDENTS

Williamor Magbanua, Romer “Bong” Sarmiento, Roel Osano & Drema Quitayen Bravo

CARTOONIST

These facts did not escape the citation of Interior and Local Government Secretary Banjamin Abalos Jr. in his speech at the Governance Day last Monday (January 23), hosted by the BARMM Ministry of the Interior and Local Government under Minister Naguib G. Sinarimbo for award-winning local government units (LGUs) and leaders.

Poverty Incidence rate among population also increased 7.73 percent at the national level from 16.7 percent in 2018 to 18.1 percent in 2021. In BARMM, the numbers went also down in the same period by 61.49 percent from 60.4 percent in 2018 to 37.4 percent.

The value of Fisheries Production in BARMM increased by 52.46 percent: the total value of production of BARMM for fisheries increased by 52.46 percent during the First Quarter of 2022 that is from 4,435,212.90 in the First Quarter of the previous year (2021) to PhP 6,761,715.04 to the First Quarter of 2022. Production in all provinces has posted an increased growth rate. Maguindanao, Tawitawi, Sulu, Lanao del Sur and Basilan increased its value of fisheries production by 199.74 percent, 4.32 percent, 9.14 percent, 6.52 percent and 56.28 percent, respectively.

Member:

Maguindanao recorded the highest value of fisheries production in the region during the same period. The province has contributed 44.93 percent of the total regional production. This was followed by Tawi-Tawi with 26.16 percent share; while Sulu, Lanao del Sur and Basilan contributed the remaining 19.61 percent, respectively at 5.37 percent, and 3.93 percent..

The value of fisheries production in BARMM is mostly contributed by Municipal Fisheries at 45.28 percent.

While the government’s import liberalization policies have brought in more and more food products from other countries, it has not dampened increase in prices of food items. Instead, this policy has continued to weaken the position of local producers and deprived them of muchneeded income to develop further.

A survey conducted in October 2022 by OCTA Research showed that around 36% of adult Filipinos were dissatisfied with the response of the Marcos administration to inflation.

Independent socioeconomic think-tank IBON Foundation said the Marcos Jr. administration let inflation accelerate virtually throughout 2022 and “gave only token relief to just a small portion of distressed families,” indicating little for the poor’s deteriorating welfare.

“The government has not undertaken any significant measures to address the supply shocks that are the underlying drivers of inflation. Instead, it relied mainly on the monetary measure of matching large rate hikes in the United States– as if raising interest rates would increase domestic food supply or moderate global food and fuel price spikes that make production more expensive,” IBON said.

The development organization sees a number of “harsh realities” for the Philippines in 2023: slow growth, worsened joblessness and informality, prices still high and rising, worsened corruption, scarcer social services and social protection along with worsening infrastructure privatization, the likelihood of more taxes as debt and debt service continue to bloat. It also says “Climate action will be all talk.”

The first quarter of this year will expectedly show whether or not the government can and will really do something that will make the Filipino people’s lives better.

More good news in BARMM economy

P enlight

Nash B. Maulana nash.penlight@gmail.com

Aquaculture and Commercial Fisheries follow and which respectively comprised 42.21 percent and 12.51 percent, of the total value. The Value of municipal fisheries is derived from value of production of marine fisheries (53.97 percent) and inland fisheries (36.35 percent). The value of production in all subsectors also posted corresponding growth rates increases of 49.69 percent for Municipal Fisheries; 78.91 percent for Aquaculture, and 6.45 percent for Commercial Fisheries.

The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) explains that the poverty threshold also known as the poverty line is the minimum income required for a family or individual to meet the basic food and non-foods.

Thanks to my niece Melanie Pendatun Mohammad for patiently sending in the data, and to his able boss, Engineer Akan G. Tula MPA for helping explain these numbers to lay mortals like us.

An average monthly poverty threshold of about PhP 11, 957 means that income was enough to meet family needs in terms of food and non-food necessities in 2021.

The food threshold is the minimum income required for a family or individual to meet the basic food needs with which satisfy the nutritional requirements for economically necessary and socially desirable physical activities, the PSA said.

On Food Threshold, a person needed at least PhP 1,683 on average per month to meet individual basic food needs in 2021. A family of five needed at least PhP 8,413. Among the population, 12.8 percent were not able to meet their basic needs in 2021, or 0.59 million food-poor Filipinos.

On the other hand, subsistence incidence among families was observed at 9.0 percent or 0.07 million or 70,000 people remain poor in terms of food among families in BARMM.

MC hinking A loud Carlos C. Bautista caloyb@gmail.com What the people say MC