Iloilo city: The poverty incidence among families in Western Visayas has decreased to 5.2 percent, as reported by the Philippine Statistics Authority's 2025 official poverty statistics. This marks a significant improvement from the 9.8 percent recorded in 2023.
According to Philippines News Agency, Joyalita Tigres, chief economic development specialist at the Department of Economy, Planning and Development-Western Visayas (DEPDev-6), has recognized the decline as a major success in executing the Regional Development Plan. Tigres emphasized that poverty reduction encompasses not just an increase in household income but also enhanced access to essential services such as education, health, and social protection. This positive trend was discussed during a recent media forum.
Tigres further noted that all provinces within the region have experienced a reduction in poverty incidence. Arecio Casing Jr., the DEPDev-6 Regional Director, highlighted that poverty is a critical metric in assessing regional development. The improved poverty situation aligns with the region's 6.4 percent economic growth, the fastest in the Philippines in 2025, which has been beneficial across various sectors.
Casing attributed this success to the efficiency of regional agencies, including the Department of Health (DOH) and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), in fulfilling their service-oriented mandates.
Meanwhile, Tigres announced updates to the Western Visayas Regional Development Plan (RDP) 2023-2028. This plan was developed through a collaborative approach involving regional line agencies, local government units (LGUs), the private sector, academia, and other stakeholders. The RDP consists of five parts and 16 chapters, with a special focus on energy transition.
Tigres called for LGUs to align their plans and budgets with the RDP, incorporating its priorities into their development strategies and investment programs to expedite the implementation of key initiatives. She also emphasized the importance of LGUs in bolstering local resilience efforts and fostering partnerships with the private sector, civil society, and other stakeholders.
