Manila: Misamis Oriental province aims to reduce poverty by 10 percent over the next three years, emphasizing the importance of improved program implementation, an official said Thursday. During the regional technical working group (TWG) meeting here, Board Member Princess Emano stated that the province is targeting at least 10,000 families to overcome poverty by 2028.

According to Philippines News Agency, Emano mentioned that the reduction rate as of 2023 was 15.5 percent, as reported by the Securities and Exchange Commission. She highlighted the plight of farmers in the province, who are often disadvantaged by “middlemen” who profit more from the buying and selling of produce than the farmers themselves.

A 2021 report from the Philippine Statistics Authority indicated that Misamis Oriental’s poverty incidence among families was 19 percent. The TWG meeting was led by the National Anti-Poverty Commission, where Secretary Lope Santos III emphasized the current administration’s commitment to achieving a single-digit poverty incidence nationwide.

Santos also discussed the importance of the Local Poverty Reduction Action Plan, which will be developed by respective local governments to identify community-based initiatives.