What are the politicians doing about Cebu's poverty incidence?

How can our political leaders brag about Cebu as the richest province in the whole country when the poverty incidence among our people is one of the highest in Asia and the Pacific? I challenge the governor, the vice governor, the members of the Provincial Board, the congressmen, and the mayors: do you have any strategic plan which is long-range, complete, comprehensive, and coherent to address this socio-economic anomaly?

According to the Philippine Statistics Authority and the DSWD, poverty incidence is the proportion of the people or families in a given municipality or city whose income or spending falls below the poverty line. It divides the total number of poor individuals or families by the total population or total number of families. The national poverty rate of the entire country is 15.5%, which means that 17.54 million Filipinos are living below the official poverty line.

The poverty line is the minimum amount of money a person needs to fulfill the basic necessities of life, like shelter and food. When families are below the poverty line, they qualify for help from the government. The PSA set the official poverty line in the country at ?35,121 per annum or at least ?2,927 a month, or at least a disposable amount of ?100 each day barely to survive

Let us start with the towns that are the poorest among the seven congressional districts, the 7th District, which I call DRAMMBAG, the acronym for the eight towns: Dumanjug is the richest in the district but its poverty incidence is 30.06%, which means that 30 out of every 100 people are living below the poverty line. Ronda is better with 21.26%, Alcantara 24.37%, Moalboal 26.94%, Malabuyoc 31.47%, Badian 29.15%, Alegria 30.72%, and Ginatilan 25.37%. The worst is Malabuyoc and the best performer is Ronda, my hometown.

The 6th District comprises only the twin gerrymandered non-contiguous towns of Consolacion and Cordova. Consolacion is perhaps the best in Cebu with a poverty incidence of only 10.48%. Cordova has 18.36%. The 5th District has only a slight problem, especially the island towns. Danao City has a poverty incidence of 21.34%, Compostela has 19.67%, Liloan 15.81%, Carmen 21.1%, Sogod 22.54%, Catmon 21.53%, Borbon 25.32%, Pilar 23.53%, Poro 22.67%, San Francisco 30.67%, and Tudela 18.92%. The best is Liloan and the worst is San Francisco.

The 4th District has a slight problem. Bogo City has a poverty incidence of 20.44%, Bantayan 28.46%, Daanbantayan 29.46%, Madridejos 26.81%, Medellin 31.16%, San Remigio 24.13%, Santa Fe 27.05%, Tabogon 25.36%, and Tabuelan 24.95%. The best performer is Bogo and the worst is Medellin. The 3rd District is better with Toledo City at 25.82%, Barili 27.07%, Aloguinsan 20%, Pinamungajan 28.44%, Asturias 29.97%, Balamban 24.97%, and Tuburan 25.52%. The best performer is Aloguinsan and the worst is Asturias.

For the 1st District, the poverty incidence in Talisay City is only 12.78%, Minglanilla 11.55%, City of Naga 20.57%, San Fernando 24.02%, Carcar City 21.61%, Sibonga 22.65%. The best is Minglanilla and the worst is San Fernando. For the 2nd District, Argao's poverty incidence is 19.9%, Dalaguete has 26.53%, Alcoy 26.17%, Boljoon 25.3%, Oslob 25.98%, Santander, 22.25%, and Samboan, 29.08%. The best performer is Argao and the worst is Samboan, the home of the Calderons.

What have the family dynasties that governed these LGUs for the longest time done to alleviate poverty in their constituencies? What are their strategic plans to address these socio-economic maladies? I am not attacking, only asking. The people have the right to know.