Manila, Oct. 7 -- Despite a modest drop in its poverty rate, Bukidnon remains among the poorest provinces in the Philippines, with 27 percent of its population still living in poverty, slightly down from 29.2 percent in 2021.

In a news release on Tuesday, the National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) reported that Bukidnon lawmakers are concerned with the slow pace of improvement and are pushing for stronger coordination and funding for anti-poverty programs tailored to the province's unique challenges.

Representatives Jose Manuel Alba (1st District), Audrey Zubiri (3rd), Laarni Roque (4th) and Arlyn Ayon (Swerte party-list) met with NAPC Secretary Lope Santos III to examine poverty-reduction efforts and to explore how national and local ...