Based on the 2009 small area estimates (SAE) of poverty, almost half or 795 of the 1,643 cities/municipalities in the Philippines have poverty incidences ranging from 32.1 to 60.0 %, while 67 municipalities have poverty incidences higher than 60.0%. On the average, the municipal and city level poverty incidence estimates in the country for 2003 and 2009 are both less than 50 percent, with a reported average values of 37.5 and 32.6, respectively.

Figure 1. Poverty map of the 2009 city and municipal level poverty incidence
 

Source: National Statistical Coordination Board

Siayan in Zamboanga del Norte is the poorest city/municipality in the Philippines with a poverty incidence of 79.9%, followed by Bucloc in Abra, Baliguian in Zamboanga del Norte, Jose Abad Santos in Davao del Sur, and Sarangani in Davao del Sur with poverty incidences of 77.2%, 75.3%, 72.3% and 72.1%, respectively. Of the poorest 20 municipalities in 2009, 17 municipalities are from Mindanao and 3 are from Luzon.

Table 1: Poorest 20 Municipalities based on the 2009 SAE of poverty among population

Source: National Statistical Coordination Board

The 2009 city and municipal level poverty statistics used the Elbers, Lanjouw and Lanjouw (ELL) methodology developed by the World Bank (WB). The methodology combined the latest data available such as the merged 2009 Family Income and Expenditure Survey (FIES)-Labor Force Survey (LFS), and 2007 Census of Population (PopCen). The generation of these estimates is undertaken by the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB) in collaboration with the World Bank and Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) as part of the continuing effort of NSCB and the Philippine Statistical System (PSS) to be more relevant and to respond to the clamor for updated poverty statistics at the city/municipal level.