In a significant development for the province of Guimaras, the poverty rate has decreased notably, dropping to 6.5 percent in 2023 from 10 percent in 2021, as per the latest report from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). The 2023 Family Income and Expenditure Survey (FIES) indicates that only 7 percent of the population, or 4 percent of families, in Guimaras were living below the poverty line, struggling to meet their basic needs for food and other essentials. The number of individuals below the poverty threshold in Guimaras fell to 12,380 in 2023, a decrease of 6,360 from the 18,740 recorded in 2021. This figure is also lower than the 17,190 recorded in 2018, before the onset of the global health crisis. According to Nelida Losare, the Provincial Statistics Officer, the annual per capita poverty threshold in Guimaras was set at PHP30,847, requiring a family of five to earn at least PHP12,853 monthly to cover their basic needs, which is less than the regional average of PHP13,801 for Western Visayas. Additionally, the income gap in the province narrowed to 9.1 percent in 2023, showing a reduction in the disparity between the rich and the poor. Among the provinces in Western Visayas, Guimaras now holds the second-lowest poverty rate, surpassed only by Aklan, which stands at 4.6 percent.
