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Monday, March 10, 2008
'Imperial Manila' blamed for poverty in Mindanao
DAVAO CITY -- The latest report of the National Statistical Coordination Board identifying the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao as the poorest in the country is a validation of the economic marginalization happening at present.
This is according to the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), which is fighting for secession.
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In a statement posted at www.luwaran.com Sunday, MILF committee on information deputy chair Khaled Musa said the NSCB report, "is very discerning to everyone in the region who must see reality and act decisively and rightly."
"The report is just a paper validation of what really is the correct economic marginalization of this region," Musa said.
He said the poverty now being experienced by their Muslim brothers and sisters is due to the "neo-colonialism by imperial Manila."
He also said the continuous fighting in Moro areas explained why the people are unproductive.
"They keep on moving from one place to another and this non-permanency of residence makes them rely on mostly short-term means of livelihood. The Moros are not indolent; they just lack correct motivation and sufficient support from the government," Musa said.
The NSCB report said poverty incidence in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (Armm), according to the 2006 Official Poverty Statistics, reached 55.3 percent, a 9.9 percent increase from 2003's 45.4 percent.
The incidence of poverty in the pre-dominantly Moro region is more than two times the national average of 26.9 percent.
This is not the first time that Armm registered the highest poverty incidence.
In 2000, the region was the country's poorest with a 53.8 percent poverty incidence.
Incidentally, three of Armm's six provinces -- Tawi-tawi, Maguindanao and Lanao del Sur -- were also among the 10 poorest provinces in the country in 2006.
Tawi-tawi had the highest poverty incidence of 78.9 percent among 81 provinces. Maguindanao had the third highest poverty incidence at 62 percent, while Lanao del Sur ranked sixth with 52.5 percent.
Other Armm provinces, like Basilan and Sulu, had poverty incidence rates of 31.7 and 46.5, respectively.
Aside from Armm, among the regions with the highest poverty incidences were Caraga (45.5%), Region IV-B or Mimaropa (43.7), Bicol Region (41.8), and Eastern Samar (40.7). (Ben O. Tesiorna/Sunnex)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Pampanga. (March 10, 2008 issue)
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