TACLOBAN CITY, 31 January 2020 – In her report, National Economic Development Agency (NEDA) VIII Officer-in-Charge Regional Director Meylene C. Rosales said that the Special Area for Agricultural Development (SAAD) Program contributed to the decrease in poverty of the Eastern Visayas Region (Region 8).

The poverty incidence among families declined by 8.96%, from 32.95% in 2015 to 23.99% in 2018. Meanwhile, the poverty rate among the population decreased by 10.36%, from  41.22% in 2015 to 30.86% in 2018.

The report was officially relayed during the Philippine Statistics Authority VIII Conference on 2018 Poverty Statistics of Region VIII at the Summit Hotel. Click here to access the report.

SAAD in Region 8

In 2017, SAAD covered three provinces – Eastern Samar, Northern Samar, and Samar – that belong to the top 20 poorest in the country. Leyte and Southern Leyte were added in 2018.

The allotted budget for Region VIII amounts to Php 45,381,000 in FY 2017 and Php 81,000,000 in FY 2018. The SAAD Program provided capability-building and technical training programs as well as agricultural livelihood projects on rice, corn, high-value crops, livestock, poultry, and fisheries.

During the SAAD FY 2019 Annual Physical and Financial Assessment from January 6 to 10, 2020 at Venus Parkview, Hotel, Baguio City, Regional Program Management Support Office (RPMSO) 8 was recognized as the top performer among the SAAD regions based on physical and financial performance. ###

Writer: Natalianne Delos Reyes, SAAD Public Relations and Communications Officer