Misamis Occidental recorded a sharp decline in poverty incidence, with the proportion of residents living below the poverty threshold falling from 30.2 percent in 2023 to 11.2 percent in 2025, according to the latest data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
The 19-percentage-point decline marks a significant improvement in the provinceโs socioeconomic conditions and comes alongside continued economic expansion under the Asenso administration of Governor Henry S. Oaminal.
Oaminal attributed the gains to sustained cooperation among the provincial government, congressional representatives, and local government units across the province, with programs focused on improving livelihoods and the quality of life of Misamisnons.
โOur goal is very clear: to help more Misamisnon families improve their quality of life, keep their children in school, and give them the opportunity to live peacefully, progressively, and happily. That is what our 5Ms vision is all about,โ Oaminal said.
The provinceโs 5Ms development frameworkโMisamisnon Magpuyong Malinawon, Malambuon, ug Malipayon, or Misamisnons living peacefully, progressively, and happilyโserves as the central development thrust of the provincial government.
The decline in poverty also coincided with strong economic growth in the province.
Misamis Occidentalโs economy grew by 7.5 percent in 2024, outpacing Northern Mindanaoโs 6-percent growth during the same period. The provinceโs economy expanded from P127.21 billion in 2023 to P136.77 billion in 2024, with the services and industry sectors contributing significantly to the increase.
The province also placed among the countryโs better-performing areas in several economic indicators, ranking eighth in local source income growth, fifth in per capita gross domestic product, 15th among the countryโs most progressive provinces, 14th in economic growth rate, and ninth among the largest provincial economies in Mindanao.
For the Oaminal administration, however, the latest figures are not simply indicators of economic performance but a measure of whether growth is translating into better opportunities for ordinary Misamisnons.
โThe real measure of development is not simply how much our economy grows, but how many families are able to feel that growth in their daily lives. We want stronger businesses and investments to mean more jobs, higher incomes, better education for our children, and greater opportunities for every Misamisnon,โ Oaminal said.
Earlier this year, Oaminal led the province’s inaugural Provincial Anti-Poverty Summit, bringing together national and local government leaders to synchronize programs, harmonize budgets, and identify gaps in the delivery of services to poor and vulnerable communities.
The provincial government said it will continue working with national agencies, local governments, legislators, businesses, and communities to sustain economic momentum and ensure that the benefits of growth reach more families across Misamis Occidental.
