mdgs provincial status report 2010 philippines biliran

1Philippines Fourth Progress Report on the Millennium Development Goals using CBMS Data - Province of Province of Marinduque

Province of BILIRAN

Status Report on the Millennium Development Goals

(MDGs)Using CBMS Data

Province of Biliran

2Status Report on the Millennium Development Goals Using CBMS Data Province of Biliran

This document titled Status Report on the Millennium Development Goals Using CBMS Data is the fi rst provincial report which the province of Biliran has made with regard to attaining the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). It is an embodiment of the aspirations set forth in the Millennium Declaration, with the analyses of the data based on the fi rst round of the Community-Based Monitoring System (CBMS) survey conducted in the entire province, and the culmination of the collaboration of the PEP-CBMS Network Coordinating Team, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)-Philippines, and the nine pilot provinces. Although this report aims to measure and report on the progress of the LGU toward attaining the MDGs, it does so by comparing the status of the LGU in 2005 and 2006 with the target indicators; it does not attempt to present an annual assessment of progress, which is done in the national progress report.

The Millennium Declaration has set 2015 as the target year by which most of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which established the benchmarks for reducing extreme poverty in practically all its dimensions, will have been attained. There are eight MDGs covered in this report, namely: 1. Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger; 2. Achieve universal primary educa-tion; 3. Promote gender equality and empower women; 4. Reduce child mortality; 5. Improve maternal health; 6. Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other diseases; 7. Ensure environmental sustainability; and 8. Develop a global partnership for development.

In 2005, the CBMS survey was conducted in the municipality of Cabucgayan as a pilot LGU. The following year, the CBMS survey was conducted in the rest of the seven municipalities through the initiative of Governor Rogelio J. Espina and the Provincial Government of Biliran, with funding support from the Institute for Democratic Participation in Governance (IDPG), a non-government organization, and in coordination with the municipal LGUs, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), and the PEP-CBMS Network Coordinating Team.

In October 2009, the Provincial Planning and Development Offi ce of Biliran accepted the invitation of the PEP-CBMS to join the project on the Preparation of Provincial MDG Reports. The collaboration was effected by a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) ratifi ed by the Sangguni-ang Panlalawigan (SP) through SP Resolution No. 312, s. 2009. Thereafter, the Provincial MDG Team was created and composed of Engineer/EnP Danilo L. Bonifacio, Provincial Planning and Development Coordinator (PPDC); Mr. Remigio S. Delfi n, Planning Offi cer IV; and Mr. Oscar O. Borrinaga, Administrative Assistant I, all belonging to the Provincial Planning and Development Offi ce (PPDO).

Foreword


The project aimed to capacitate selected provincial governments to systematically measure, monitor, and report progress toward the attainment of the MDGs. The objectives were to track local progress toward the attainment of the MDGs, formulate a standard guide or methodol-ogy on how to prepare Provincial MDG Reports, and increase local awareness on how these reports can bridge local and national development strategies. To achieve these objectives, a series of training sessions were conducted, and aptly, the fi rst session was a workshop on Processing of CBMS Data to Generate MDG Indicators.

The main report consists of three parts: 1) a profi le of the province, 2) progress report on the MDGs, and 3) a brief account on how the 2015 targets can be met. The section dealing with the provincial profi le is limited to certain aspects of the LGU that have some relation to the MDG indicators whereas the presentation of the progress report is more detailed as it includes quantitative and qualitative data and information. Under the progress report section are tables and poverty maps that show the LGU’s current status and trends on attaining the MDG targets, the LGU’s policies and programs being implemented, the challenges it faces to meet the targets, and where appropriate, a short discussion showcasing its notable programs and projects.


Acknowledgments

The members of the Provincial MDG Team of Biliran gratefully acknowledge the invaluable support to this project by the Honorable Provincial Governor Rogelio J. Espina, MD, FPOA, for his leadership and unwavering support not only in the preparation of this report but also in the conduct of the fi rst round of the CBMS Survey; and by the PEP-CBMS Network Coordinating Team, through its team leader, Dr. Celia M. Reyes, and her staff for the technical assistance and guidance throughout the course of the report preparation. Special mention is made to Mr. Marsmath A. Baris, Jr., who is the focal person of the MDG Mentoring Team for the province of Biliran.

The team would also like to extend its thanks and gratitude to the United Nations Develop-ment Programme in the Philippines for the support and advice through Ms. Corazon Urquico, portfolio manager; the NEDA-Social Development Staff (SDS) for providing useful inputs, especially during the critiquing; the participants from other provincial LGUs for the sharing of experiences and ideas; the Municipal Planning and Development Coordinators (MPDCs) of the Province of Biliran, who were responsible for overseeing the conduct of the CBMS Survey in the province, upon which this report is largely based; and to all those who have contributed in one way or another to the completion of this report.

Biliran Provincial MDG Team


The preparation of provincial MDGs reports is a critical step that Local Govern-ment Units (LGUs) have taken in the overall effort to localize the MDGs. As it is often said, the MDGs will be ‘won or lost’ at the local level given the conditions of uneven progress and disparities across regions and provinces in the country.

Beyond the national averages, one can see wide disparities on the gains in poverty reduction, universal education, child mortality and maternal health. This situation reinforces the notion that the progress of each province is just as important as the achievements of the country as a whole. After all, the Philippines’ progress towards the MDGs, is the sum of the efforts and gains of all LGUs.

By preparing provincial reports, LGUs are provided vital information on the status of the MDGs in their areas of infl uence. These reports are important

sources of information for planning, resource allocation and priority setting that LGUs are tasked under their mandate of effective local governance. Likewise, in the course of the preparation of the reports, the capacity of LGUs to collect, monitor and use data for decision making has been greatly enhanced. The reports also show how far the Community Based Monitoring System (CBMS) that UNDP has supported can go in terms of its use.

Against the backdrop of renewed optimism emanating from the new political leadership, this fi rst set of nine Provincial Reports on the MDGs is a timely and important milestone. The reports provide crucial insights on how to overcome the constraints in achieving the MDGs locally as the country gears towards the last stretch to attain the eight goals by 2015. They also emphasize the important role of active collaboration of political leaders, stakeholders, and donors in achieving the MDGs.

I wish to commend the nine Provincial Governments that prepared their reports – the Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Biliran, Camarines Norte, Eastern Samar, Marinduque, Romblon, Saran-gani and Siquijor Province – the Community-Based Monitoring System (CBMS) Network and the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) for working together in bringing about this important accomplishment.

With this initiative, it is hoped that other provinces will follow suit to attain nationwide support for the need to accelerate the pace of the achievement of the MDGs by 2015.

Dr. Jacqueline BadcockUN Resident Coordinator and

UNDP Resident Representative

s by 2015.

Dr Jacqueline Badcock

Message


First of all, we wish to thank the CBMS Network Coordinating Team for its technical assistance in the preparation of the Provincial MDG Report of Biliran and to the UNDP-Philippines for galvanizing support for this tehni-cal collaboration, both of which have greatly facilitated the completion of this report. Special thanks also go to the staff of NEDA-SDS and the other

provincial governments who took part in this project for their valuable insights in the crafting of the document. We are truly glad that there is now a subnational (provincial level) MDG publication so that we may learn from other LGUs’ concrete experiences and best practices as well as share our own in pursuing particular goals.

As we move closer to 2015 when the goals and targets that have been set in the Millen-nium Declaration are supposed to be met, the formulation of the provincial report enables the concerned LGU to realistically keep track of the progress it has made in attaining these goals and targets at the local level because the assessment is based on the results of the CBMS survey. Initially, it would be diffi cult to measure and evaluate how we are faring in achieving the global goals and determining the extent of our contribution to the national commitment based on just a single round of CBMS survey conducted provincewide several years ago. However, we are convinced there is much to gain from this initiative when we have completed the second round by the end of 2010.

Furthermore, the publication of this report will help promote transparency in local governance and make us local offi cials more accountable to our constituents in the pursuit of our own development agenda, especially those that are aligned with the MDGs. The MDG targets will be our guiding posts and, at the same time, serve as the bar by which our efforts—the

Message

Republic of the PhilippinesPROVINCE OF AGUSAN DEL NORTE

6543 Naval, BiliranOFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR


services we have to deliver and the programs and projects we need to implement—will be measured. Meeting most, if not all, of these MDG targets would translate, to a great extent, to obtaining our vision of promoting the well-being and uplifting the living conditions of our constituents.

Let us put into action the lessons and insights we have gained from this undertaking so that in our own little way we can help liberate our people from poverty and deprivation—by sustaining our own interventions that have proved to be successful; by adopting and replicating other LGUs’/agencies’ strategies to the targets that we fi nd diffi cult to attain; and by simply attuning our activities to the actual needs of our local communities, which we can ascertain through the CBMS.

ROGELIO J. ESPINA, MD, FPOA Governor


Foreword ........................................................................................................

Acknowledgments ..................................................................................................

Messages UN Resident Coordinator Dr. Jacqueline Badcock ...............................

Biliran Governor Rogelio J. Espina, MD, FPOA .....................................

Table of Contents .................................................................................................List of Acronyms ..................................................................................................List of Tables .......................................................................................................List of Figures ......................................................................................................

Executive Summary ......................................................................................

Part 1. Provincial Profile 1. History ........................................................................................

2. Geo-physical Environment ............................................................. 3. Population and Social Environment ................................................ 4. Local Economy ............................................................................... 5. Infrastructure/Utilities/Facilities ....................................................... 6. Local Institutional Capability ...........................................................

Part 2. Status Report on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) Goal 1 - Eradicate Extreme Poverty and Hunger ....................................................

Goal 2 - Achieve Universal Primary Education .......................................................

Goal 3 - Promote Gender Equality .......................................................................

Goal 4 - Reduce Child Mortality ..........................................................................

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4

5

6

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Table of Contents


Goal 5 - Improve Maternal Health ...........................................................................

Goal 6 - Combat HIV / AIDS, Malaria and Other Diseases .......................................

Goal 7 - Ensure Environmental Sustainability ........................................................

Goal 8 - Develop a Global Partnership for Development .......................................

Part 3. Meeting the 2015 Challenge

Priority Programs and Policy Responses ...................................................... Financing the MDGs ................................................................................ Monitoring the MDGs ..................................................................................

Explanatory Text ..........................................................................................

Table of Contents

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ADB Asian Development BankAIP Annual Investment ProgramALS Alternative Learning SystemARMM Autonomous Region of Muslim MindanaoBEMONC Basic Emergency Obstetrics and Neonatal CareBESRA Basic Education Sector Reform AgendaBHCs Barangay Health CouncilsBHS Barangay Health StationsBHTs Barangay Health TeamsBHWs Barangay Health WorkersBILECO Biliran Electric CooperativeBNS Barangay Nutrition ScholarBPH Biliran Provincial HospitalBPITLC Biliran Provincial Information Learning and Technology CenterBWSAs Barangay Waterworks and Sanitation AssociationsCBMS Community-Based Monitoring SystemCEMONC Comprehensive Emergency Obstetrics and Neonatal CareCFSS Child-Friendly School SystemCHED Commission on Higher EducationCHP Child Health ProgramCIS Communal Irrigation SystemCMP Community Mortgage ProgramCNSAT Cabucgayan National School of Arts and TradesCOPD Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary DiseaseCSR Cohort Survival RateDepEd Department of EducationDENR Department of Environment and Natural ResourcesDILG Department of Interior and Local GovernmentDM Diabetes MellitusDOH Department of HealthDPWH Department of Public Works and HighwaysDSWD Department of Social Welfare and DevelopmentDTI Department of Trade and IndustryEAP Educational Assistance ProjectEC European CommunityECCD Early Childhood Care and DevelopmentEMIS Education Management Information SystemFPW Framework Plan for WomenGASTPE Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education

List of Acronyms


GER Gross Enrolment RateGOP Government of the PhilippinesHCVD Hypertensive Cardiovascular DiseaseHEPO Health Education Promotion OfficerHSPSP Health Sector Policy SupportICT Information and Communication TechnologyIFMA Industrial Forestry Management AgreementILHZ Inter Local Health ZoneIMCI Integrated Management of Childhood IllnessesIPHO Integrated Provincial Health OfficeIRA Internal Revenue AllotmentJBIC Japan Band of International CooperationJICA Japan International Cooperation AgencyLAVE Livelihood, Agriculture, Values, and EntrepreneurshipLCIP Learning Competency Improvement ProgramLGUs Local Government UnitsMCHP Maternal and Child Healthcare ProgramMDG Millennium Development GoalMDR Maternal Death ReviewMGB Mines and Geosciences BureauMHOs Municipal Health OfficersMHP Maternal Health ProgramMPS Mean Percentage ScoresNDA National Dairy AuthorityNDCC National Disaster Coordinating CouncilNER Net Enrolment RateNGAs National Government AgenciesNIT Naval Institute of Technology (now NSU for Naval State University)NPC-SPUG National Power Corporation-Small Power Utilities GroupNSCB National Statistical and Coordination BoardNSO National Statistics OfficeOGA Other Government AgenciesOPAS Office of Provincial Agricultural ServicesPENRO Provincial Environment and Natural Resources OfficePEPT Philippine Educational Placement TestPESO Public Employment Service OfficePCDP Provincial Comprehensive Development Plan (PCDP)PCWWI Provincial Council for WomenÊs Welfare, Inc.


PHN Public Health NursePIP Provincial Investment ProgramPIPH Provincial Investment Plan for HealthPLDT Philippine Long Distance TelephonePOs Peoples OrganizationsPPMDOTS Public Private Mix Directly Observed Treatment Short CoursePSSP Provincial Sanitation Sector PlanPSPIP Provincial Strategic Plan and Investment ProgramPSWDO Provincial Social Welfare and Development OfficePTB Pulmonary TuberculosisPWDs Persons with DisabilitiesRDI Rural Development InstituteRHMs Rural Health MidwivesRHU Rural Health UnitsRSET Regional Social and Economic TrendsRWSSP Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Sector ProjectRYF Responsible Youth and FamilySBD School Building ProgramSBRMS School-Based Repair and Maintenance SchemeSCALA Sharing Computer Access Locally and AbroadSEDIP Secondary Education Development and Improvement ProjectSFI Schools First InitiativeSIFMA Socialized Industrial Forest Management AgreementSK Sangguniang KabataanSMMEs Small, Medium, and Micro EnterprisesSY School YearTB TuberculosisTBA Trained Birth AttendantsTBDC Tuberculosis Diagnostic CommitteeTEEP Third Elementary Education ProgramTESDA Technical Education and Skills Development AuthorityTLV/TVE Technical Livelihood/Vocational EducationWHTs WomenÊs Health TeamsWORD-KALIPI WomenÊs Organization for Rural Development-Kalipunan ng Liping Pilipina

List of Acronyms


Table 1. Summary of Findings of MDG Indicators, Province of Biliran, 2005-2006Table 2. Comparative Status of MDG Attainment, Province of Biliran Table 3. Profile of Municipalities Table 4. Vital Health Indices, 2006Table 5. Performance Indicators in Government Schools, Division of Biliran, 2005-2009Table 6. Status of National and Provincial Roads, Province of Biliran, 2008-2009Table 7. Eradicate Extreme Poverty and Hunger, Provincial Summary, Province of BiliranTable 8. Magnitude and Proportion of Households/Population Below Poverty Threshold, by Sex, by Urban/Rural and by Municipality, Biliran, 2005-2006Table 9. Magnitude and Proportion of Households/Population Living Below the Food Threshold, by Sex, by Urban/Rural, and by Municipality, Biliran, 2005-2006Table 10. Poverty Gap Ratio, by Municipality, Biliran, 2005-2006Table 11. Employment Rate, by Sex, by Urban/Rural, and by Municipality, Biliran, 2005-2006Table 12. Magnitude and Proportion of Households/Population Who Experienced Food Shortage, by Sex, by Urban/Rural and by Municipality, Biliran, 2005-2006Table 13. Prevalence of Underweight Children Under 5 Years of Age, by Sex, by Urban/Rural and by Municipality, Biliran, 2005-2006Table 14. Achieve Universal Primary Education, Provincial Summary, Province of BiliranTable 15 Magnitude and Proportion of Children Aged 6-12 Years Old Enrolled in Elementary School, by Sex, By Urban/Rural, and by Municipality, Biliran, 2005-2006Table 16. Magnitude and Proportion of Children Aged 13-16 Years Old Enrolled in High School, by Sex, By Urban/Rural and by Municipality, Biliran, 2005-2006Table 17. Magnitude and Proportion of Children Aged 6-16 Years Old Enrolled in School, by Sex, By Urban/Rural and by Municipality, Biliran, 2005-2006Table 18. Literacy Rate of 15- to 24-Year-Olds, by Sex, By Urban/Rural and by Municipality, Biliran, 2005-2006Table 19. Promote Gender Equality and Empower Women, Provincial Summary, Province of BiliranTable 20. Ratio of Girls to Boys in Primary Education, by Urban/Rural and by Municipality, Biliran, 2005-2006Table 21. Ratio of Girls to Boys in Secondary Education, By Urban/Rural, and By MunicipalityTable 22. Ratio of Girls to Boys in Tertiary Education, by Urban/Rural and by Municipality, Biliran, 2005-2006Table 23. Ratio of Literate Females to Literate Males Aged 15-24 Years Old, by Urban/Rural and by Municipality, Biliran, 2005-2006Table 24. Magnitude and Proportion of Elective Seats Held by Women, by Municipality, Biliran, 2007Table 25. Reduce Child Mortality, Provincial Summary, Province of BiliranTable 26. Magnitude and Proportion of Children Aged 0 to Less than 5 Years Old who Died, by Sex, By Urban/Rural and by Municipality, Biliran, 2005-2006

List of Tables


List of Tables

Table 27. Magnitude and Proportion of Infants Who Died, by Sex, by Urban/Rural and by Municipality, Biliran, 2005-2006Table 28. Magnitude and Proportion of Children Aged 1 to Less than 5 Who Died, by Sex, By Urban/Rural, and by Municipality, Biliran, 2005-2006Table 29. Improve Maternal Health Summary Table, Provincial Summary, Province of BiliranTable 30. Magnitude and Proportion of Female Deaths due to Pregnancy-Related Causes, by Urban/Rural and by Municipality, Biliran, 2005-2006Table 31. Combat HIV/AIDS, Malaria, and Other Diseases, Provincial Summary, Province of BiliranTable 32. Ensure Environmental Sustainability, Provincial Summary, Province of BiliranTable 33. Proportion of Land Area Covered by Forest, by Municipality, Biliran, 2006Table 34. Magnitude and Proportion of Households/Population with Access to Safe Drinking Water, by Sex, by Urban/Rural and by Municipality, Biliran, 2005-2006Table 35. Magnitude and Proportion of Households/Population with Access to Sanitary Toilet Facilities, by Sex, by Urban/Rural and by Municipality, Biliran, 2005-2006Table 36. Magnitude and Proportion of Households/Population Who Are Informal Settlers, by Sex, by Urban/Rural and by Municipality, Biliran, 2005-2006Table 37. Magnitude and Proportion of Households/Population Who Are Living in Makeshift Housing, by Sex, by Urban/Rural and by Municipality, Biliran, 2005-2006Table 38. Magnitude and Proportion of Households/Population Who are Living in Inadequate Living Conditions, by Sex, by Urban/Rural and by Municipality, Biliran, 2005-2006 Table 39. Develop a Global Partnership for Development, Provincial Summary, Province of Biliran Table 40. Magnitude and Proportion of Households with Cellphones, by Urban/Rural and by Municipality, Biliran, 2005-2006Table 41. Magnitude and Proportion of Households with Computers, by Urban/Rural and by Municipality, Biliran, 2005-2006Table 42. Summary of Incomes and Expenditures, Biliran Province (2006-2009)Table 43. The CBMS-MDG Indicators and their DefinitionTable 44. Poverty and Food Thresholds


List of Figures

Figure 1. Location Map Figure 2. Province of Biliran Figure 3. Age/Sex Structure, 2007Figure 4. Proportion of Population Below Poverty Threshold, by Municipality, Biliran, 2005-2006Figure 5. Proportion of Population Below Food Threshold, by Municipality, Biliran, 2005-2006Figure 6. Poverty Gap Ratio, by Municipality, Biliran, 2005-2006Figure 7. Employment Rate, by Municipality, Biliran, 2005-2006Figure 8. Proportion of Population Who Experienced Food Shortage, by Municipality, Biliran, 2005-2006Figure 9. Prevalence of Underweight Children Under Five Years of Age, by Municipality, Biliran, 2005-2006Figure 10. Proportion of Children Aged 6-12 Years Old Enrolled in Elementary School, by Municipality, Biliran, 2005-2006Figure 11. Proportion of Children Aged 13-16 Years Old Enrolled in High School, by Municipality, Biliran, 2005-2006Figure 12. Proportion of Children Aged 6-16 Years Old Enrolled in School, by Municipality, Biliran, 2005-2006Figure 13. Literacy Rate of Population of 15- to 24-Year-Olds, by Municipality, Biliran, 2005-2006Figure 14. Proportion of Elective Seats Held by Women, by Municipality, Biliran, 2007Figure 15. Proportion of Children Aged 0 to Less than 5 Years Old Who Died, by Municipality, Biliran, 2005-2006Figure 16. Proportion of Infants Who Died, by Municipality, Biliran, 2005-2006Figure 17. Proportion of Children Aged 1 to Less than 5 Years Old Who Died, by Municipality, Biliran, 2005-2006Figure 18. Proportion of Women Deaths Due to Pregnancy-Related Causes, by Municipality, Biliran, 2005-2006Figure 19. Death Rates Associated with Tuberculosis, by Municipality, Biliran, 2005-2006Figure 20. Proportion of Population With Access to Safe Drinking Water, by Municipality, Biliran, 2005-2006Figure 21. Proportion of Population With Access to Sanitary Toilet Facilities, by Municipality, Biliran, 2005-2006Figure 22. Proportion of Population Who are Informal Settlers, by Municipality, Biliran, 2005-2006Figure 23. Proportion of Population Who Live in Makeshift Housing, by Municipality, Biliran, 2005-2006Figure 24. Proportion of Population Living in Inadequate Living Conditions, by Municipality, Biliran, 2005-2006Figure 25. Proportion of Households With Cellphones, by Municipality, Biliran, 2005-2006Figure 26. Proportion of Households With Computers, by Municipality, Biliran, 2005-2006Figure 27. CBMS Coverage in the Philippines (as of May 12, 2010)


EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Biliran is an island province located between the islands of Leyte and Samar in Eastern Visayas. From being a subprovince of Leyte, it became a regular province on May 11, 1992, after a plebiscite was conducted in accordance with the provi-sions of Republic Act (R.A.) 7160, also known as the 1992 Local Government Code of the Philippines. The province is composed of eight municipalities and 132 barangays and has a total land area of 555.42 square kilometers (sq km). It is classified as a fourth-class province and is one of the poorest provinces in the country. Its lack of financial, material, and manpower resources might hinder its ability and capacity to meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

Despite the constraints, Biliran vigor-ously pursued the programs and projects that would lead to the attainment of the targets set in the Millennium Declaration. Through this report, we can determine the extent to which the MDGs have been achieved using data from the local government unit’s (LGU) Community-Based Monitoring System (CBMS) survey in 2005-2006 and, where possible, compare these levels with the national and/or regional levels and targets. This report does not attempt to measure the rate of progress the LGU has made in recent years considering that only a single round of the CBMS survey

was conducted in the seven municipalities in 2006 following the successful implementa-tion of the same survey in the municipality of Cabucgayan in 2005 as a pilot LGU.

At the time the survey was conducted (mainly in 2006), the total population was 144,238, of which the males constituted 50.9 percent (73,397) and the females accounted for 49.1 percent (70,841). As there were 30,763 households, the average household size was computed to be 5 (4.7) persons. The annual per capita threshold of Biliran was placed at PhP12,966 (P12,100 for Cabucgayan) for the urban areas and PhP12,137 (P10,700 for Cabucgayan) for the rural areas. The food threshold was set at PhP8,948 (PhP8,350 for Cabucgayan) and PhP8,786 (PhP7,746 for Cabucgayan) for the urban and rural areas, respectively.

The following presents a summary of the MDG report of the province of Biliran using the results of the CBMS survey in 2006.

Good News• The provincial average ratio of girls to

boys in primary education was 1.0, which is already the ideal ratio in the MDG. This means that there are as many girls as there are boys attending elementary school. This situation is almost the same both in the urban (0.98) and rural (0.99) areas.


living below the poverty line. Proportion of the population living below the poverty line, however, was 70.4 percent, which is equivalent to 101,667 Biliranons.

• Around 16,217 households were living below the food threshold. This is equivalent to 52.9 percent of the total number of house-holds. The magnitude of the population living below the food threshold was 84,848 or 53.4 percent of the total population.

• There were a total of 14,897 children aged 13-16 in the province, which are composed of 7,846 males (52.7%) and 7,051 females (47.3%). The magnitude of the population aged 13-16 who are enrolled in high school was around 8,388, representing 56.3 percent. Proportion of children aged 6-16 who were nerolled in school is 82.6 percent. This means that of the 42,946 children belonging to this age bracket, only 35,456 children found ways to be in school. This fi nding also implies that most of the children who were not in school belong to the 13-16 age group. The forego-ing data underscore the fact that although elementary and secondary education in public schools are free, many other factors were preventing children from continuing their studies, foremost of which is poverty.

• During the survey period, Biliran registered 93 deaths among children aged 0 to less than 5 years old. Of this number, 54 were males (58.1%) and 39 (41.9%) were females. Around 16,761 children belonging to this age bracket. This segment of the population was concentrated in rural areas (78.2%).

• There were forty (40) infants who died in 2006, 25 of which were males (62.5%) while 15 were females (37.5%). The number of infants then was 2,915, in which 1,500 (51.5%) were males and 1,415 were females (48.5%). Infant mortality rate was 13.5 per 1,000 live births. Majority of the children (77.8%) was in the rural areas.

• The survey further revealed that 3,706 households experienced food shortage; this represents 12.1 percent of the total number of households. The magnitude of the popula-tion was 19,250, and there were more males (9,955) than females (9,295) who experienced food shortage.

• Also, 10,804 households (35.1%) were living in inadequate situations.

Meeting the 2015 Challenge

The results of the CBMS survey in the province in 2006 give an indication that some, if not most, of the MDG targets can be attained by 2015. Meeting these targets, however, would require initiative and political will on the part of the leaders who would be elected in the May 10, 2010, elections. In addition, the commitment of the other program partners is necessary in sustaining at a reasonable rate the achievement of the MDG targets within the remaining years.

To eradicate extreme poverty and hunger, agri-fi shery production must be improved by intensifying and diversifying farming and fi shery programs through better production technologies and the provision of support infrastructure. Increased income of families and the generation of livelihood opportuni-ties can be addressed by developing small, medium, and micro enterprises (SMMEs) in all municipalities of the province. An effi cient marketing strategy has to be institutionalized and access to credit needs to be enhanced. Developing the local tourism industry can contribute greatly to providing more employment opportunities as well as insti-tutionalizing the Public Employment Service Offi ce (PESO) and conducting regular jobs fairs. Sustaining the supplemental feeding program would also require greater partici-


• In secondary education, the ratio of girls to boys was 1.1, indicating that girls are performing well than boys. In rural areas, the ratio was 1.04 and in the urban areas, 1.13. In tertiary educa-tion, on the other hand, the same ratio of 1.1 was estimated. Unlike in secondary education, boys outnumber girls in urban areas.

• Proportion of households with access to safe drinking water was quite high at 93.6 percent, covering a total of 28,783 households. Proportion of population with access, however, was 93.5 percent, which is equivalent to a total number of 134,890 persons. Urban areas had higher access at 98.7 percent than rural areas with only 92.0 percent.

• Proportion of households living as informal settlers was 2.5 percent, which is equivalent to 768 households. In terms of population, the proportion was 2.6 percent, or 3,726 persons.

• There were around 1,203 living in makeshift housing, representing 3.9 percent of the total number of households. Proportion of the population living in makeshift housing, on the other hand, was 3.8 percent, representing about 5,490 people.

• Mortality rate among children aged 0 to less than 5 is 6 per 1,000 live births. The under-fi ve mortality rate, on the other hand, registered at 27.1, which was 15.9 points lower than the regional average (43.0) and was better than the national average of 32.0. According to the National Statistical and Coordination Board (NSCB), the under-fi ve mortality rate of Eastern Visayas (43.0) was the second-highest in the country, next to Region IV-B (MIMAROPA) and the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), both of which have 45.0 (RSET Report 2009).

• Literacy rate among the population aged 15-24 was 97.1 percent.

• There were no reported cases of HIV/AIDS in Biliran as per report of the Provincial Health Offi ce (PHO).

Not-so-Good News• The survey showed that there were more

literate males than females in the 15-24 age bracket and the ratio of girls-to-boys was 0.9. This observation apllies both to rural and urban areas.

• About 451 out of the 1,159 local elective posts, or 39 percent of the total elective seats, were occupied by women. The positions considered included that of the SK president.

• Six (6) pregnancy-related deaths were recorded in the province; one case took place in an urban area while fi ve deaths occurred in rural areas. The maternal mortality ratio per 100,000 live births was 205.4 while proportion of pregnancy-related deaths was 0.2.

• In terms of the prevalence and number of deaths associated with tuberculosis, there were 27 reported deaths consisting of 16 males (59.3%) and 11 females (40.7%). Ten (10) incidents occurred in urban areas while 17 cases happened in rural areas. Proportion of deaths associated with tuberculosis was 18.7 per 100,000 population).

• Proportion of households with access to sanitary toilet facilities was 71.5 percent, representing 21,978 households, had access. Proportion of the population with access to sanitation, however, was 71.3 percent, which is equivalent to around 102,929 persons. Rural population had lower access to sanitation at 68.2 percent than urban population, with 81.8 percent.

• The magnitude of employed population was estimated to be 39,730. There were more employed males (28,877 or 82.4%) than females (10,853 or 62.4%). The employment rate, meanwhile, was 75.8 percent.

Posing a Great Challenge

• In 2006, 19,941 households (or 65.0% of the total number of households) were


pation from nongovernment organizations (NGOs) and the private sector.

In terms of providing universal education, the Learning Competency Improvement Program (LCIP) can be strengthened by establishing functional reading projects in all schools and making use of computer-aided learning materials. Also, the implementation of the Alternative Learning System (ALS) can be improved by providing adequate supplies and instructional materials.

In the area of health, the implementa-tion of the Maternal and Child Healthcare Program (MCHP) has to be sustained and continuous advocacy on a healthy lifestyle and avoidance or prevention of infectious diseases has to be undertaken. Adequate and effi cient water supply and sanitation facilities in underserved areas should be installed.

The lives of slum dwellers can be improved through proper planning of settlements. Beneficiaries of government housing and resettlement projects must be thoroughly assessed and selected, especially for the Core Shelter Project and the Community Mortgage Program (CMP).

On reversing the loss of environmental resources, environmental laws should be strictly enforced by concerned government agencies. The government should continue to provide protective infrastructure to hazard-prone areas, regulate indiscriminate land conversion to protect prime and viable agricul-tural lands, encourage urban expansion to environmentally compatible areas, and review and update the land-use plans and zoning of the municipalities.

Financing the MDG

From 2006 to 2009, the average annual income growth rate of the province of Biliran was only 8.34 percent. The Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) remained the biggest single source, accounting for 90.62 percent (2006-2009), but its annual growth rate for the same period was only 7.78 percent. The remaining 9.38 percent of income came from local taxes. On the other hand, the expenditures of the province grew at an average rate of 12.82%. The largest component went to personal services (53.44%), followed by maintenance and other operating expenses (MOOE) at 42.33 percent, fi nancial expenses (1.14%), and subsidies given to LGUs at 3.09 percent.

Faced with this tight fi nancial situation, the province needs to develop a workable and effective revenue generation plan to improve and increase tax collection. It also has to forge strong partnerships with NGOs and the private sector and tap all available assistance from the national government and foreign organizations so that it can carry out the programs and projects necessary to achieve the MDG targets, particularly those that require convergence of efforts and resources.

Monitoring the MDG

The CBMS is considered as the most effec-tive tool for monitoring the MDGs at the local level insofar as the LGUs that implemented the CBMS surveys are concerned. Other monitor-ing tools, however, may be used to help track progress in achieving the MDGs, particularly those tools that have been developed and actually used by line agencies of the national government to attain their respective specifi c targets.


Table 1. Summary of Findings of MDG Indicators, Province of Biliran, 2005-2006


Table 1. (Continued)


Part 1. Provincial Profile

History

Biliran, a fourth-class province, is nestled between the islands of Leyte and Samar (Figure 1). It is one of the six provinces that make up Region VIII in Eastern Visayas. The island of Biliran was originally known as Isla de Panamao but according to folklore, Biliran derived its name from a native grass called “borobiliran,” which was abundant on the plains of the island during the pre-Spanish period.

In the 18th century, a group of settlers inhabited the plains of what is now called the town of Biliran. This settlement developed and grew and by 1878, it was formally declared a

Figure 1. Location map of Biliran

Figure 2. Map province of Biliranmunicipality of Leyte by the Spanish authori-ties, the fi rst town in the island of Biliran. This signifi cant event led to the naming of the whole island as Biliran.

The island of Biliran was formerly a subprov-ince of Leyte. It gained the status of a subprov-ince by virtue of R.A. 2141, which was enacted by Congress on April 8, 1959. Under this charter, the municipalities of Almeria, Biliran, Cabucgayan, Caibiran, Culaba, Kawayan, Maripipi, and Naval, including all the terri-tories therein, made up the subprovince, with Naval as the seat of government.


On May 11, 1992, during the synchro-nized national and local elections, a plebiscite was conducted to ratify the conversion of the subprovince into a regular province pursuant to Section 462 of R.A. 7160, otherwise known as the Local Government Code of the Philippines. On May 21, 1992, the members of the Plebi-scite Board of Canvassers were unanimous in proclaiming the conversion of Biliran into an independent province, to be known as the Province of Biliran.

Geophysical Environment

This island province is located about 123 km northwest of Tacloban City, the regional center. It has eight municipalities (seven in the mainland and one island municipality) and 132 barangays, of which 19 are urban and 113, rural (fi g. 2). Biliran is represented as a lone district in the House of Representatives.

The total land area is 555.42 sq km (55,542 hectares), which is only 0.18 percent of the Philippines’ total land area of about 300,000 sq km, and only 2.59 percent of the land area of the entire Eastern Visayas. Of the total area of 55,542 ha, 28,600 ha are considered alienable and disposable while 26,942 ha are forestlands.

Among the municipalities, Naval, the capital of the province, has the largest area (107.08 sq km), followed by Caibiran (94.58 sq km). The smallest is Maripipi, with an area of 31.71 sq km (table 1).

Rugged mountains bisect the entire length

of the island. The highest point is Mt. Naliwatan in the center of the island, with an elevation of 1,340 meters above sea level (masl). There are nine mountain peaks rising more than 1,000 masl. Generally, the steep mountain slopes start from an elevation of 300 masl; below this elevation is considered rolling terrain where most settlements can be found.

Only 3 percent of the total land area of Biliran is level to gently sloping. These low-lying areas are generally located in coastal areas and along river banks. Most of the areas having gently sloping to undulating terrain (3%-8% slope) can be found in Naval and Caibiran.

Rivers make up the inland water bodies. There are 29 identifi ed rivers. Seven of these are classifi ed as major ones, namely, Anas, Amambahag, Caibiran, Mapula, Santol, Caraycaray and Bagongbong rivers. Caray-


caray, the major use for which is irrigation, is the largest with a watershed area of 85 sq km.

Under R.A. 8550, the delineated municipal seawaters of Biliran extend 15 km from the shoreline. These seawaters are a rich fi shing ground. The average depth 10 km from the coastline is about 50 fathoms or 300 meters (m).

The rugged mountains that traverse the entire island are primarily conserved to serve as watersheds rather than as sources of timber. Numerous spring sources thrive in these watersheds and are the main sources of drink-ing water brought down to settlements in the lowlands. Waterfalls with heights ranging from 30 to 50 meters also abound in the mountains.

The 35 km long volcanic island of Biliran contains many prominent andesitic lava domes. The fumarole fi elds that are scattered throughout the island indicate the presence of geothermal energy. Initial exploration showed that the mountains of Naval and Caibiran are potential sources of geothermal power. Hot springs are present in these areas, and these are also good prospects for ecotourism.

Major rivers can also be alternative sources of power. Studies conducted by a consulting fi rm revealed that a total of 6,900 kilowatts (kW) can be generated from these rivers if these are tapped as sources for mini hydro power plants.

The geologic features of the islands and islets that natural elements have carved over time, the pristine beaches, and the rich marine resources are added tourism draws.

In Maripipi Island, the underlying rock forma-tions are clastic sedimentary rocks composed

predominantly of broken pieces and clasts of older, weathered, and eroded rocks. In the eastern plains of Biliran Island, particularly in the municipalities of Culaba and Kawayan, rocks are underlain with alluvial formation. The geomorphology is attributed to the underlying natural activities of rivers and streams. Found in the western coast is a large alluvial plain including fans distributed in the municipalities of Almeria, Naval, and Biliran. These broad alluvial plains consist of river terraces and river fans which represent the deposition of the river system. Higatangan Island lies in the northern extension of the western mountain system of Leyte. The clastic rocks, which are composed primarily of fragments or clasts of preexisting rocks occur along the western slopes of Biliran and Higatangan Islands.

According to the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB), there are three major minerals present in Biliran—gypsum, sulfur, and white clay. Elemental sulfur deposits in the munici-pality of Caibiran have an estimated volume of 320 metric tons (MT). The ore reserve has a 30 percent grade in the altered zone of montmorillonite and quartz. The volume of gypsum deposits is still to be determined. White clay deposits in Culaba have yet to be evaluated as to grade/quality and volume.

Biliran has Type IV climate based on the Modifi ed Coronas Classifi cation of Climate, with rainfall more or less evenly distributed throughout the year. The northeast monsoon prevails from November to February; the southeast monsoon, from July to September. The trade winds, which generally come from the east, prevail whenever the northeast monsoon and the southeast monsoon are inactive.

Temperature in Biliran usually ranges


between 23oC and 30.9oC. The mean annual temperature, however, is 27oC. Maximum rainfall usually occurs in December and January; minimum rainfall, in April.

Population and Social Environment

Based on the 2007 census of population conducted by the National Statistics Offi ce (NSO), the province had a total population of 150,031. The household population, however, was 149,733, consisting of 76,898 males and 72,835 females or a sex ratio of 105.6. The same census showed that Biliran had 32,148 households. Thus, the average household size is 4.7, or about 5 persons per household, and the population density is 270 persons per sq km. The age dependency ratio of the house-hold population is 83.64. The age and sex structure (commonly known as the population pyramid) for the province is shown in fi gure 3.

In terms of fertility, Biliran and Leyte have a projected rate of 3.69 percent for the period 2005-2010, which is close compared to the regional projected fertility rate of 3.89 percent. The projected life expectancy at birth is estimated to be 67.83 years for males and 72.41 years for females for 2005-2010.

The annual population growth rate of the province from 2000 to 2007 was 0.93 percent. Based on this growth rate, Biliran is projected to have a population of 154,261 by 2010.

In 2005, a CBMS survey was conducted in the municipality of Cabucgayan. This munici-pality was one of the pilot LGUs in Region VIII for the CBMS. The following year (2006), the CBMS was conducted provincewide.

The 2005-2006 CBMS survey revealed that the proportion of households below the poverty threshold in the province was 65.6 while the proportion of the population below the poverty threshold was 70.9. Also, the proportions of the households and population living below the food threshold were 52.9 and 53.4, respectively.

Further, it was determined that 39,730 were employed at the time of the survey. The males (28,877) outnumbered the females (10,853) in terms of employment. The employment rate then was estimated to be 75.8 percent. Unfortunately, data are not available to corroborate these fi ndings considering that current statistics on employment are disag-gregated up to the regional level only.

In the same survey, it was found that the proportion of infants aged 0 to less than 1 year old who died was 1.4, and the number of women who died due to pregnancy-related causes was six.


A general picture of the health situation in the province compared to the regional and national data is shown in table 4.

The following are the 10 leading causes of mortality for the past fi ve years: pneumonia, hypertensive cardiovascular disease (HCVD), cancer, heart disease, pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), bleeding peptic ulcer, renal diseases, diabetes mellitus (DM), and accidents. Of the infectious diseases, only pneumonia and PTB were among the top leading causes of mortality while the rest are lifestyle diseases.

The Biliran Provincial Hospital (BPH) is the lone hospital catering to the eight municipalities of the province as well as the nearby towns and barangays of Leyte. Its authorized bed capacity is 25. The average number of in-patients per day is 78 with a percentage occupancy rate of about 300 percent due to overutilization of hospital services. Bed-to-population ratio in 2008 was 1:6,057. In comparison, there were 81 government and private hospitals in Region VIII in 2008, and the bed-to-population ratio was only 1:1,365. Further, Biliran has eight municipal health centers and 37 barangay health stations.

As of 2008, there were only 173 professional health care practitioners in both hospital and fi eld health services. Of this number, 24 were physicians (16 hospital/8 fi eld health). There

were three dentists (1/2), 42 nurses (33/9), 45 midwives (1/44), and 15 medical technolo-gists (8/7). The percentage of fully immunized

clients was 85.05 percent, higher than the region-al average of 81.26 percent. On the nutri-tional status of children aged 0-6 years old,

the number of below-normal (very low) cases has declined over three years--536 cases in 2006, 484 in 2007, and 437 in 2008.

The 2009 Regional Social and Economic Trends (RSET) report indicates that the simple literacy rate of the population aged 10-64 years old in Biliran in 2000 was 90.8 percent. This was higher than the regional average of 89.9 percent. However, the functional literacy rate in the same year was 79.45 percent, which was lower than the national rate of 83.79 percent.

As of school year (SY) 2008-2009, the province had 128 elementary schools (125 government and three private), 18 secondary schools (16 under DepEd, one laboratory high school under CHED, and one private Catholic school), and one state college—the Naval Institute of Technology (NIT). In 2009, NIT became a university and is now called the Naval State University (NSU). Another school, the Cabucgayan National School of Arts and Trades (CNSAT), which is administered by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), provides postsecondary and vocational education and training.

From SY 2001 to SY 2009, the teacher-student ratio has ranged between 1:27 and 1:28 for


public elementary schools and between 1:35 and 1:39 for public secondary schools.

Some performance indicators in public elementary and secondary schools in the province are shown in table 5.

The Department of Education (DepEd) division of Biliran, in its Division Education Development Plan 2006-2010, reported that there were 2,340 out-of-school children aged 6-14 and 6,411 out-of-school youth aged 15-24 in 2006.

The provincial government has been very supportive of the education subsector. In 2005 alone, it initiated the following activities in support of formal basic educa-tion: distributed 85 sets of computers to selected schools; allocated books to 18 schools under the Governor’s Books for the Barrios program; provided cable connection for the Knowledge Channel to six elementary and 16 secondary schools; sponsored literary and academic contests; and provided a service vehicle (multicab) to the division office.

In the CBMS survey, the proportion of households with access to safe drinking water was 93.2 percent, which translates to 28,783 households. For the population served, the proportion was 93.5 percent, which corre-

sponds to a magnitude of 134,890. Urban areas were better served (98.7%) compared to rural areas (92.0%).

As to the proportion of households with access to sanitary toilet facilities, 21,978 house-

holds (71.5%) had access. The propor-tion of population with access was 71.3 percent, which r e p r e s e n t s f o r 102,929 individuals. The rural population had less access to sanitary toilet facili-ties at 68.2 percent

compared to the urban population (81.8%).

The number of occupied housing units in the province based on the 2000 census (per 2009 RSET) was 27,514. The breakdown for the occupied housing units by type of build-ing is as follows: 26,592 single houses; 338 duplexes; 112 multiunit residential structures; 55 commercial/industrial/agricultural struc-tures; four institutional living quarters; four other housing unit types; and 411 unreported types. Considering 27,909 households and a household population of 140,174, the ratio of households to occupied housing units is 1.01 and the household population per occupied housing unit is 5.09.

For its part, the provincial government initiated the construction of 100 core-shelter housing units in Barangay Larrazabal, Naval, in 2005 and completed them in 2006 with funding assistance from the central office of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC). The construction of an additional 50 units of


core shelters was started in 2009 and will be completed by June 2010. This project is being implemented with funding assistance from the DSWD central offi ce. In addition, 200 housing units are expected to be built under the Community Mortgage Program (CMP) on a site adjacent to where the core shelters were built. The CMP was started by the provincial government in 2008.

Biliran is generally a peaceful province and is known to be free of insurgents and rebel groups.

Based on the 2009 RSET for Eastern Visayas, the crime incidence and crime-solution rate in Biliran in 2008 were 138 and 94.9 percent, respectively.

Local Economy

The predominant economic activities in Biliran are agriculture and fi shery. Most of the people are engaged in farming and fi shing, which contribute 35.6 percent to the total family income of the province. Although there are no large agri-industries in the province, a lot of the people are into agri-related livelihood and trade activities. Local small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are mostly agri-based.

Agriculture, Fishery, and Forestry

Out of the total land area of 55,542 ha, approximately 29,240 ha (52.6%) are agricul-tural lands.

Major agricultural products in the province include palay, coconut, corn, cassava, banana, sweet potato, fruits, and vegetables. In 2008, Biliran ranked second among the provinces in the region in terms of average yield per hectare (4.6 MT/ha). Corn produc-

tion in the same year was 812 MT. Coconut is the second major crop produced in the province. A total of 20,583 ha were planted to coconut in 2007, yielding a total production volume of 50,668 MT. Banana production in 2007 was 15,314 MT from an area of 1,143 ha.

Livestock and poultry production remained at backyard-production levels. As of 2007, there were more hogs (44,030 heads) and goats (21,301 heads) raised than any other kind of livestock, while chicken (245,187 heads) was the most commonly raised poultry in the province. There were 12,107 carabaos in 2007, a slight decline from the population of 12,800 in 2006. There was also a decrease of 638 heads in the cattle population between 2005 and 2007. On the other hand, the goat population increased by 5,014 heads from 2005 to 2007. Data for the hog population showed an abrupt increase from 2005 to 2006, but the number of hogs quickly declined the next year.

Veterinary quarantine services are being undertaken at the Naval Port. An animal quarantine offi cer inspects vessels and issues veterinary clearances to animals shipped in and out of the province.

The two slaughterhouses are located in Naval and Almeria.

Biliran is surrounded by rich fi shing grounds, namely, the Biliran Strait, Samar Sea, Carig-ara Bay, Lamanok Sea, and Sambawan. In addition, the marine waters surrounding the islands of Capinahan, Dalutan, and Higatan-gan serve as major fi shing stations for the province’s fi sherfolk.

In 2007, the province registered a total production volume of 7,600 MT from commer-


cial and municipal fi shing, including aquacul-ture production.

As of December 2009, there were 10 operational fi sh sanctuaries in the province. Two shell sanctuaries will also be established. Seaweeds are also being cultivated.

Although a large portion of the provincial

land area is taken up by forests, there is no major forest-based economic activity in Biliran. Forest products like abaca, nito, rattan, and timber are abundant and are used as raw materials for handicraft, cottage, or small industries. Other forestry products are lumber, charcoal, and fi rewood.

Service Sector

In 2007, Biliran registered a total of 499 establishments engaged in wholesale and retail trades.

Transportation within the province, especially within the capital town of Naval, is dominated by motorcycles and tricycles. Of the total 6,833 motor vehicles registered in 2007, 4,882 are motorcycles and tricycles, 1,313 are utility vehicles, 45 are buses, 162 are cars, 424 are trucks, and seven are trailers.

The tourism subsector is believed to have a high potential for boosting local economic growth considering that Biliran is endowed with plenty of beautiful scenery consisting of white beaches, water springs, waterfalls, rice terraces, caves, and dive sites that can be developed into destination options for tourists.

The industry sector is the smallest contributor to the provincial economy because of the very low share coming in from the manufacturing and construction subsectors and virtually

nothing from mining and quarrying. From 2001 to 2005, there were 181 registered estab-lishments that could be classifi ed as being engaged in manufacturing activities. There are other manufacturing activities that are not registered due perhaps to their small-scale operation.

Only four commercial banks operate in Naval: the Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP), Philippine National Bank (PNB), Metrobank, and Green Bank. In addition, there is also a rural bank and a number of lending offi ces that are based mostly in Naval as well as credit cooperatives in every municipality.

Infrastructure/Utilities/Facilities

Biliran has access to trimedia facilities. It has a radio station based in Naval, Radyo Natin, which operates on the FM band. Owing to its geographic location, strategic areas in Biliran can receive radio and television broadcasts from stations based in other provinces like Leyte, Samar, Cebu, Iloilo, and even the Bicol region. National dailies and tabloids are distributed in the province via Tacloban City. Daily tabloids and weeklies of regional circulation are also distributed in Naval. There are two local cable TV operators, both of which are based in the provincial capital.

Further, each of the eight municipalities has one or two cell sites. A local telephone exchange, Globelines, provides landline Internet service as well as long-distance calls. It had 1,332 subscribers as of the latest count in 2009. Public calling offi ces of the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT), Smart, and Bayantel also provide basic communication services. Each municipality also has a postal offi ce. Additionally, two entities provide courier services.


The existing road network in the province provides suffi ciently easy access from one municipality to another and facilitates local and interprovincial circulation.

The circumferential road, which is 110.712 km long, links Naval to the other municipali-ties. The 19.730 km Naval–Caibiran cross-country road links the two municipalities located on opposite sides of the island. It serves as the shortest route between Naval and the municipalities of Caibiran and Culaba. The Maripipi circumferential road is part of the provincial road; it links the 15 barangays in the island.

The 250 m Biliran Bridge serves as the vital link between the province and mainland Leyte.

Biliran has a 1 km air strip that can be used by small aircraft.

All municipalities have seaports. However, some serve only as small-scale fi sh landing ports while others are nonoperational. Only the Naval Port is considered the major port in the province. It serves as the gateway or the provincial port of entry for tourism, trade, and commerce.

The municipalities of Naval and Maripipi have roll-on/roll-off seaports that were constructed as part of the Strong Republic

Nautical Highway (Eastern Seaboard) Project that links the country’s islands and aims to spur development in the countryside.

Existing rural roads consist of 46.547 km of municipal roads and 227.254 km of barangay roads. Municipal roads are 85.75 percent concreted.

Power supply comes from the Leyte Geother-mal Power Plant in Tongonan, Kananga, Leyte. It is distributed by the Biliran Electric Cooperative (BILECO), which maintains a 5 MVA substation. BILECO serves the seven municipalities in the main island while a local multipurpose cooperative supplies and distributes electricity in the island municipal-ity of Maripipi under the National Power Corporation-Small Power Utilities Group (NPC-SPUG). All barangays in the province are already energized.

The Naval Water District supplies water in the capital town. Other municipalities have piped water systems provided by their respec-tive LGUs.

As for irrigation, the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) for Region VIII reported that in 2008, it assisted 22 communal irrigation systems (CIS) in the province with a total area of 3,365 ha and served 16 irrigators’ associa-tions with a total of 1,138 farmer-members.


In addition, other government agencies (OGAs) had assisted seven CIS with a total service area of 563 ha while the private sector contributed by serving four CIS with a total service area of 280 ha.

Local Institutional Capability

Biliran is only a fourth-class province based on the income classifi cation set by the Depart-ment of Finance (DoF). As such, it has to use its resources wisely and prudently so that the outcomes of the projects and services that it has implemented would redound to the greater good of the constituents.

For the calendar year 2008, P224,846,219.30 was appropriated for the annual budget of the province. This amount was higher by 9.17 percent than the 2007 annual budget of PhP205,963,671.64, and 18.76 percent higher than the PhP189,326.145.31 budget for 2006. The province also allocated PhP40,559,948.20 for its 20 percent Devel-opment Fund in 2008, which is used for projects and activities identified in the Annual Investment Program (AIP), and passed nine supplemental budgets amount-ing to P87,936,423.86. The supplemental budgets were intended mostly for social services and infrastructure development.

The provincial government of Biliran consists of 17 regular departments/offi ces, (including the Offi ce of the Governor and the Offi ce of the Vice Governor/Sangguniang Panlala-wigan) and a provincial hospital. In December 2009, there were 873 provincial government offi cials and employees. Of this number, 13 were elective offi cials, 354 were permanent employees, and 506 were casual or contrac-tual/job order employees.

To achieve local development goals, the provincial offi cials and employees work in cooperation with the national government agencies based in the province or their regional offi ces, the component municipal governments, the NGOs and people’s organizations, and the private sector. In addition to the local special bodies and government-assisted groups that have been organized, NGOs like the Rural Development Institute (RDI-Leyte); Biliran Parents Associa-tion for Development, Inc.; Convergence of Marginal Folks/Pagtinabangay Founda-tion, Inc.; Women’s Organization for Rural Development-Kalipunan ng Liping Pilipina (WORD-KALIPI) Provincial Federation; and the Biliran Provincial Union of Cooperatives, among others, extend development assistance to local communities and help in the attain-ment of societal goals.



PART 2: Status Report on

the Millennium Development Goals

Goal 1: Eradicate Extreme Poverty and Hunger

Target 1A: Halve between 1990 and 2015, the proportion of people whose income is less than one dollar a day.

A. STATUS AND TRENDS

The 2006 CBMS survey revealed that the province had 30,763 households with an average size of 5 (4.7) persons per household.

The total population was 144,238, of which males constituted 50.9 percent (73,397) and females, 49.1 percent (70,841). The annual per capita threshold was placed at P12,966 for urban and P12,137 for rural. Of the total number of households, 19,941 (65.0%) were living below the poverty line. There were 101,667 Biliranons who were poor. Also at the


time of the survey, the proportion of population living below the poverty line was 70.4 percent. The province had a poverty gap ratio of 0.4.

The food threshold of the province was placed at P8,948 for urban and P8,786 for rural. There were 16,217 households living below the food threshold. Rural areas accounted for 82.0 percent while urban areas accounted for 18.0 percent of the total number of households. The proportion of households living within the food threshold was 52.9 percent. The magnitude of population living within the food threshold was 84,848 (53.4%).

The magnitude of the population who were employed was 39,730. There were more employed males (28,877), which represented a proportion of 82.4 percent. The employed females numbered 10,853, representing a proportion of 62.4 percent. The employment rate of the province in 2006 was 75.8 percent.

The survey further revealed that there were 3,706 households that experienced food

shortage, representing 12.1 percent of the total number of households. The magnitude of population that experienced food shortage was 19,250. There were more males (9,955) than females (9,295) who experienced food shortage.

On the other hand, there were a total of 1,131 children under fi ve years old (564 boys and 567 girls) who were underweight. The prevalence of underweight children under fi ve years old was almost equal for boys and girls at 6.6 and 6.9, respectively.

Proportion of Households/Population Below Poverty Threshold

Poverty threshold, as defi ned by NSCB, is the minimum income/expenditure required for a family/individual to meet the basic food and nonfood requirements.

Among the eight municipalities of Biliran, the municipality of Kawayan had the highest proportion of households (82.0%) and


population (85.6%) living below the poverty threshold. In numbers, it accounted for 3,219 households and 15,505 individuals. This was followed by the municipality of Culaba with 1,798 households (76.3%) and a population of 9,210. The municipality of Naval had the lowest proportion of households and popula-tion with 55.4 percent and 62.3 percent, respectively.

Four municipalities registered a propor-tion of households and population higher than the provincial average of 65.0 percent (households) and 70.4 percent (population). These were Kawayan, Culaba, Maripipi, and Caibiran.

In terms of the number of households below the poverty threshold, Naval contributed the highest number with 4,945 households, repre-senting 24.8 percent of the total number of households in the province. This was followed by Kawayan with 3,219 households (16.1%) and Caibiran with 2,713 households (13.6%).

The poverty threshold for the province was placed at P12,966 per annum for urban and P12,137 for rural. Relative to this amount, an

individual in the rural area should earn an average of P1,085 monthly or at least P36.16 a day and for an individual in an urban area, an average of P1,011.42 monthly or P33.71 a day to satisfy food and nonfood requirements.

Figure 4


Proportion of Population/Household within the Food Threshold

The NSCB defi nes food threshold as the minimum income/expenditure required for a family/individual to meet the basic food needs that satisfi es the nutritional requirements for economically necessary and socially desirable physical activities.

Kawayan topped the list of municipalities whose populations were living within the

food threshold at 79.0 percent as shown in the table below. This is followed by the municipality of Culaba (70.7%) and then by Maripipi (69.7%). The municipalities of Almeria and Naval posted a proportion of less than 50 percent at 48.5 percent and 48.6 percent, respectively.

Poverty Gap Ratio

The poverty gap ratio indicates the average distance of the poor population from the poverty line. The municipalities of Culaba and Kawayan got the highest ratio of 0.5 followed by the municipalities of Biliran, Caibiran, and Maripipi with 0.4. The municipalities of Almeria and Naval both got a ratio of 0.3. Two municipalities had a poverty gap ratio higher than the provincial average of 0.4. The fi gure explains that the higher the poverty gap ratio, the farther is the distance of the poor from the poverty threshold, which means the greater is the severity of poverty.

Figure 5


Target 1B: Achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all, including women and young people.

Employment Rate

The CBMS survey showed that the municipality of Cabucgayan posted the highest proportion of the population who were employed (86.1%) followed by the municipality of Naval (76.7%). Kawayan had the lowest employment rate at 64.9 percent, which was below the provincial average of 75.8 percent. Males dominated the labor force.

Figure 6

Figure 7


Target 1C. Halve, between 1990 and 2015, the proportion of people who suffer from hunger.

Proportion of Population Who Experienced Food Shortage

Subsistence incidence is the proportion of families/individuals with per capita income/expendi-ture less than the per capita food threshold to the total number of families/individuals.

The municipality of Biliran had the highest proportion of popula-tion who experienced food short-age (26.0%) followed by Naval (19.3%). In numbers, a total of 3,706 households experienced food shortage in 2006, which is equivalent to a population of 19,250.

Figure 8


Prevalence of Underweight ChildrenUnder 5 Years of Age

The municipality of Naval has the most number of children 5 years of age who were underweight (449), which accounted for 39.7 percent of the total number of

underweight chi ldren in the province (1,131). This was followed by Kawayan with 148 (13.1%). Culaba had the least number with 17 underweight children. Most of the children are in the rural areas (84.5%). The ratio between males and females was almost 1:1 as shown in table 13.

Figure 9


B. CURRENT POLICIES AND PROGRAMS

The policies and programs of the provincial government are in line with national plans. This is to ensure congruency and convergence of resources to give greater impact to the lives of the people. In the course of preparing the AIP and the Provincial Comprehensive Development Plan (PCDP) and other related endeavors, various sectoral concerns geared towards poverty reduction were investigated.

The attainment of the vision and mission of the province largely depends on the adoption of strategic interventions that will fully tap available opportunities and, at the same time, minimize the magnitude of the problems, issues, and threats to the development of the agriculture and tourism subsectors.

Some key strategies are as follows:

a. Improve the productive capacity of the agriculture sector along agri-processing and nontraditional commodities;

b. Shift employment opportunities to micro, small, and medium industries and the service sector;

c. Apply advances in transport and telecom-munications in various economic activities; and

d. Develop the skills of human resources to support the manpower requirements of the industry and the service sector.

Programs and Projects

Social Welfare and Development Services

The Provincial Welfare and Social Develop-ment Offi ce (PSWDO) served a total of 39,599 disadvantaged people in 2006. The clientele category is broken down as follows: 8,228

children and youths; 2,159 women; 17,544 family heads; 1,270 elderly and persons with disabilities; and 10,398 disaster-related emergency assistance services.

1. Child and Youth Welfare Program The PSWDO extends services intended for

the care, protection, and rehabilitation of children and youth in diffi cult situations. It also ensures their social adjustment, total growth, and development. The program, in particular, benefi ted children and youth in diffi cult situa-tions whose age ranges from 0-24 years old.

Day Care Service

In cognizance of the Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) Act and the Day Care Law of 1990 (RA 6972), both of which mandate the establishment of day care centers in every barangay, the provincial govern-ment built its own day care center. The entire province now has 152 day care centers to benefi t the children.

Protective Service

In response to the increasing incidents of abuse against children, the PSWDO readily provides protective and rehabilitative services to exploited/abused youth in a comprehensive special social service. The program empha-sizes the utilization of a center as a major tool in their upliftment and therapeutic process.

Educational Assistance

The provincial government of Biliran fully recognizes the need to address the issue of access to quality education and its soaring cost. The Educational Assistance Project (EAP) of the province was launched to benefi t


underprivileged but deserving students. Their tuition or basic school fees were appropriately addressed and their scholastic performance was thoroughly evaluated.

Milk Feeding Program in Schools

The provincial government of Biliran and the National Dairy Authority (NDA), together with the Occidental Leyte Dairy Primary Multipurpose Cooperative jointly implemented the Milk Feeding Program. The program endeavors to improve the nutritional status of vulnerable groups such as children and nursing mothers. It also promotes dairying as livelihood for rural farmers.

2. WomenÊs Welfare Program

The program upholds the welfare of disad-vantaged women, giving special attention to the prevention and eradication of all forms of exploitation of women (including prostitu-tion and illegal recruitment). The program also endeavors to foster the enhancement of their skills to broaden their employment options and aid them in the process of self actualization.

Women are often touted to be economi-cally relevant but their participation in economic activities is often overlooked. Faced with the challenge to deliver women


from the constraint of unproductivity, the provincial government implemented programs to address the problem.

Productivity Skills Development

In coordination with TESDA-Biliran, skills-development training for women were conducted. The program strives to end the unemployment problem among women and eventually elevate them as equal partners in development.

WORLD-KALIPIÊs Networking

The B i l i ran Prov inc ia l Counc i l fo r Women’s Welfare, Inc. (PCWWI) was organized to promote women’s welfare and address the various concerns of the 30,627 women in the province, of which 70 percent (21,438) are economically and socially disadvantaged. In partnership with government agencies, the network provided the women with comprehensive and integrated development programs, particularly on health, l ivelihood, self

enhancement, community participation, and value formation.

3. Family Welfare Program

This program focuses on socially disad-vantaged families. It helps them develop their overall capability by defining their needs and formulating sound solutions that would br ing about the des i red social change. Program activities include advice giving and counseling service; capital livelihood assistance; parental effect iveness service; and Phi lHealth insurance benefits.

4. Program for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) and Elderly/Older Persons

This refers to the provision of services

related to disability prevention, rehabili-tation, and equalization of opportunities for physical ly, mental ly, and social ly disabled persons. The program also aims to enhance their capability; help them attain a more meaningful, productive, and satisfying way of life; and ultimately become self-rel iant and contr ibut ing members of society.

Livelihood and Employment Programs

Biliran is an agricultural province. With the island’s abundant water, fertile soil, and hardworking farmers, agricultural develop-ment has always been a major thrust of the administration and regards it as an important tool to eradicate poverty.

Various services to help farmers are channeled through the four sections of the Offi ce of the Provincial Agricultural Services, namely, Crop Section, Research and Devel-


opment Section, Cooperative Section, and Fishery Section.

Aside from their regular programs, the Crop Section vigorously implemented special projects, such as the “Pabunga sa Mangga Para sa Masa” and the distribution of high-value commercial fruit trees under the plant-now-pay-later scheme.

The Cooperative Section continuously assisted the cooperatives in the province. Cooperatives enliven economic activities and generate liveli-hood opportunities. In recognition of the valuable contribution cooperatives give to the economy, the province expanded its assistance to them and strengthened their viability through the imple-mentation of the Microlivelihood Program and the “Dagdag Puhunan Pangkabuhayan” Project.

Fishing is a major livelihood of the Biliranons since many barangays are located in the coastal areas. Through the Fishery Section of OPAS, the provincial government implemented signifi cant programs to help fi shermen have a more productive life. A livelihood program for fi sheries was implemented and extended to fi sherfolk associations provincewide.

The Office of the Provincial Veterinarian is mandated to ensure the delivery of basic veterinary services so that the quality of livestock, poultry, and other domestic animals for work and human consumption can be improved. It also pursues the programs of the provincial government to promote livelihood projects for farmers and other members of the populace.

C. CHALLENGES

Biliran is an agricultural province. Almost half of its total land area is devoted to agriculture.

Farming and fi shing are the main industries engaged in by the population for food and as source of income. The development of the agriculture sector faces many challenges, among which are the following:

1. Majority of the farmers in Biliran own and operate small parcels of farmlands measuring less than a hectare; thus, farmers are hesitant to adopt new technologies and innovations. Farm mechanization is limited to a few, mostly big landowners. Farm produc-tion cost is high. Farmers/producers do not command the market price, which are often dictated and manipulated by traders and middlemen. Highly restricted prime agricul-tural lands are converted to other uses.

2. Sustaining the production of high-value commercial crops for those who have under-gone a season-long training

3. Illegal fi shing and intrusion of commercial fi shing vessels into the municipal waters of Biliran


1. „Dagdag Puhunan Pangkabuhayan‰ Project

Th is project is a microlending initiative of the provincial government to help alle-viate poverty in the province. Th e program was run and managed by the Cooperative Section under the Offi ce of the Provincial Agriculturist. Th e services are extended to individuals or groups (associations) to help them fi nance small businesses and liveli-hood projects at a very minimal interest rate payable within six months to one year. Th e project is open to all individuals identifi ed to be poor, but who are capable of doing simple businesses. Applicants are made to undergo an orientation/briefi ng and credit evaluation prior to the approval of the project proposal and the release of loans. Putting up a small sari-sari store or engaging in palay trading, food and fi sh vending, and vegetable production are just some of the projects for which funding is provided.

Th e project started in 1993 with seed money of P1 million from the 20 percent Development Fund. The good perfor-mance of the project, especially consid-

ering the positive eff ects it brought to the lives of those who availed themselves of loans and high collection effi ciency, were all instrumental in sustaining the project until today. In 2006, the project released P1,442,000 to 230 benefi ciaries. Collec-tions are rolled over for other benefi ciaries.

2. Fish Sanctuary

Th e construction of fi sh sanctuaries has proven to be a sound measure for pre-serving the environment and eventually improving the capacities and productivity of the marine waters surrounding Biliran. With marine sanctuaries, fi shing activities are monitored and regulated. Marine habi-tats are gradually restored and protected. Fishes and other marine life forms are left undisturbed. Spawning grounds are continuously guarded to help these species grow and multiply.

In 2006, nine marine sanctuaries were put up in the province; an additional four were installed in 2009. Most fi shermen at-tribute the increase in the volume of their catch to these sanctuaries. Personnel of the OPAS Fishery Section also regard these sanctuaries as good diving sites.

4. Right selection and identification of beneficiaries and the proper transfer of technology of government programs (e.g., dispersal program, microlending, and others)

5. Need to sustain the supplemental feeding program implemented by the government, NGOs, and the private sector

6. Organize a Poverty-Reduction Action Team to come up with more focused poverty-reduction programs and projects



Goal 2: Achieve Universal Primary Education

Target 2A. Ensure that, by 2015, children everywhere, boys and girls alike, will be able to complete a full course of primary education.


In the 2006 CBMS survey, there were 28,049 children aged 6-12 years old. Of this number, 14,332 were males and 13,717 were females. By urbanity, 77.7 percent of the population was rural while 22.6 percent was urban.

There were 21,490 children aged 6-12 years who were enrolled in elementary education.

The males numbered 10,660, representing 49.6 percent of the total number of children, and females numbered 10,830, which accounted for 50.4 percent. The proportion of children aged 6-12 years old enrolled in elementary was 77.0 percent. It was noted that the percent difference of 23.0 percent does not necessarily indicate the number of students who are not enrolled since some children might be enrolled in other levels of education.

There were a total of 14,897 children in Biliran aged 13-16 years old. The males constituted 52.7 percent (7,846) of the total number while females constituted 47.3 percent (7,051). The males were greater in number


than females by 795 (5.3%). The magnitude of population aged 13-16 years old enrolled in high school numbered 8,388, a proportion of 56.3 percent. This means that 43.7 percent were not in school.

The proportion of children aged 6-16 years old enrolled in school was 82.6 percent. There were 42,946 children of this age bracket during the survey—17,344 were males and 18,112 were females. Of the total number of children 6-16 years of age, only 35,456 children were in school.

The literacy rate of 15- to 24-year-olds was 97.1 percent. There was a population of 24,405

individuals belonging to this age bracket, of which 13,120 (53.8%) were males and 11,285 (46.2%) were females. The fi gure shows that there were more literate males than females. The literacy rate follows the defi nition that a literate person is one who can both read and write with understanding a short, simple statement on everyday life.

Proportion of Children Aged 6-12 Years Old Enrolled in Elementary

The municipality of Biliran had the highest

proportion of children aged 6-12 years old who were in elementary (86.6%) followed by the municipality of Almeria (81.0%).


The municipality of Culaba had the lowest participation with 73.9 percent, lower than the provincial average of 77.0 percent.

Table 15 further shows that there were more

females (79.0%) enrolled in elementary school than males (74.4%) in all the municipalities. The lower participation of boys was attributed to the fact that the boys were the ones being used by parents to help augment the family’s income even at young age, a situation that is true in the rural areas.

The DepEd Division of Biliran in its report (Division Education Development Plan, 2006-2010) revealed that enrolment in the elementary level in the province is exhibiting a decreasing pattern. The gross enrolment in SY 2003-2004 for both public and private schools reached 26,490. In SY 2004-05, it decreased by 1.0 percent and in SY 2005-06, it again decreased by 1.0 percent.

Participation rate has also been decreasing for the last tree years. The decrease was 3.0

percent from SY 2003-04 to SY 2005-06. This implies that the number of school-age children who are not in school has been increasing from year to year.

The cohort survival rate (CSR) decreased a little by 1.6 percent from SY 2003-04 to SY 2004-05. However, in 2006, it rose higher to 77 percent, an increase of 9 percent from the previous year (68.0%), yet it still fell short by 1.0 percent from the standard set by the department (78.0%). This means that more than two-thirds of the 5,477 pupils who enrolled in Grade I five years ago reached Grade VI. Those who were not able to reach Grade VI in due time were the dropouts, school leavers, and repeaters. As these indicators continue to increase over the years, they adversely affect the CSR.

Similarly, the completion rate was also affected by the increase in the failure rate. The increase in the graduation rate is attributed to the decrease in the dropout rate and failure

Figure 10


rate, which implies that when the dropout and failure rates decrease, graduation rates increase. The girls have had higher completion rates and graduation rates than the boys for the last three years.

Proportion of Children Aged 13-16 Years Old Enrolled in High School

The municipality of Almeria had the highest

proportion of population aged 13-16 years old enrolled in high school (67.5%), followed the

municipality of Biliran (67.4%). The municipality with the lowest participation is Maripipi, with only 51.5 percent--this is 4.8 percent lower than the provincial average of 56.3 percent.

Table 16 shows that almost half the number of children aged 13-16 years old were not enrolled in high school. This is because many of those who were supposed to be in school were working for a living or helping to earn a living for the family. Moreover, a number of young girls got married too early for fi nancial and social upliftment, which resulted to disengagement from school. There were more females (65.1%) enrolled in high school than males (48.4%).

According to DepEd Biliran Division Offi ce (Division Education Development Plan 2006-2010), the Gross Enrolment Rate (GER) for the secondary level had been fl uctuating. In SY 2005-06, the GER was 72.4 percent. Comparing the GER with the Net Enrolment Rate (NER) or Participation Rate in the same year revealed a gap of 20.0 percent. This showed that there were many students who were not within the range of high school age of 12-15 years old. In addition, the GER included transferees from the neighboring division (Leyte

Figure 11


Division) and other places in the Philippines who were not counted during the census period. The NER for SY 2005-06 was only 52.4 percent, which is apparently half of the high school-age population. This is 25.6 percent lower than the planning standard of 78 percent.

Like other indicators, the CSR had shown unfavorable values for the last three years. In SY 2004-05, the CSR was only 66.1 percent, which was 10.9 percent lower than the standard of 77.0 percent. This means that almost two-thirds of the group of students enrolled in fi rst year three years ago reached fourth year. Those who were not able to make it up to fourth year in due time were the dropouts, school leavers, and repeaters. As these indicators increased over the years, the CSR eventually decreased.

Proportion of Children 6-16 Years Old Enrolled in School

The municipality of Almeria had the highest proportion of children aged 6-16 years old enrolled in school at 89.4 percent, followed by the municipality of Caibiran at 84.5 percent. The municipality of Culaba had the

lowest participation of 80.4 percent, or 2.2 percent lower than the provincial average of 82.6 percent. The municipality of Naval had the greatest number of population (9,560), accounting for 27.0 percent of the total number of population 6-16 years old enrolled in school.

Figure 12


Literacy Rate of 15- to 24-Year-Olds

The municipality of Caibiran had the highest proportion of 15- to 24-year-olds who were literate at 98.4 percent, which is 1.3 percent higher than the provincial average of 97.1 percent. The municipality of

Cabucgayan registered the lowest proportion at 94.8 percent, lower by 2.3 percent than the province’s average. The municipality of Naval had the highest number with 7,458, which accounted for 30.6 percent of the total population of 15- to 24-year-olds.

Figure 13



Equitable Access to Education

To provide the basic educational services, the Division of Biliran is divided into nine districts, each headed by a district supervi-sor. There are 125 public and three private elementary schools in the province. Of the total 128 elementary schools, there were still nine schools that had incomplete primary and one incomplete elementary school. This implies that there was a need to open new classes to complete the grade levels from Grade I to Grade VI, which means additional teachers and additional school buildings.

The number of academic classrooms for SY 2005-06 (976) was more than the number of teachers in the division (901). This means that the division has an adequate number of classrooms for the 25,967 pupils enrolled in the elementary level.

Most of the public elementary schools were able to construct new school buildings and undertake the repair of the dilapidated ones with the implementation of the Third Elemen-tary Education Program (TEEP) in the province. The School Building Program (SBP) component of the TEEP signifi cantly contributed to the improved academic performance of pupils in schools. The “Brigada Eskwela” using the School-Based Repair and Maintenance Scheme (SBRMS) and the Child-Friendly School System (CFSS) helped and facilitated the improvement and maintenance of the school facilities.

On the other hand, secondary schools were built strategically, thus making them accessible to students in every municipality. Educational opportunities offered by DepEd to the poorest

of the poor helped shape and prepare the students for lifelong learning. All second-ary schools were provided with adequate furniture, resulting to a student seating ratio of 1:1.33. Most schools have adequate water sources and electricity. The provision of complete instructional and noninstructional rooms, ancillary facilities, and furniture would transform the schools into vibrant, proactive learning centers.

The implementation of the Secondary Education Development and Improvement Project (SEDIP) had improved the secondary schools in terms of school building infrastruc-ture.

Improving the Quality of Education

The national thrust of basic education is to provide basic competencies to everyone thereby achieving functional literacy for all. This is the direction of the Philippine educational system—Education for All in 2015.

The regional thrust, which is embodied in the Five-Year Master Plan (2006-11), is to adopt and implement the concepts and strategies of the Schools First Initiative (SFI) as an implementation approach to Education for All. The SFI in Region VIII is broadly participated in as a popular movement encouraging a wide variety of initiatives from individual schools and communities plus their network. It follows a new package of policy reforms under the Basic Education Sector Reform Agenda (BESRA).

Following the national and regional thrusts on Functional Literacy for All, the Division of Biliran has outlined in its Yearly Agency Performance Measure Framework the follow-ing: Public Pre-Elementary and Elementary


Education Services; Public Secondary Educa-tion Services; Alternative Learning System Management Services; Basic Education Sector Management Services; Regulatory and Devel-opment Services and Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education GASTPE Services.

These major final outputs are translated into programs and projects that serve as the division’s strategies to ensure that every Biliranon completes elementary and secondary education at a satisfactory achievement level.

In support of the division’s thrust, the provincial government has included Education for All in the Provincial Strategic Plan and Investment Program (PSPIP). Biliran Division enjoys full support in formal basic education from the provincial and municipal governments, especially in the imple-mentation of the TEEP and Secondary Education Development and Improvement Project (SEDIP) School Building Program, which requires LGU equity. The provincial government also: (1) distributed 85 sets of computers to elemen-tary and secondary schools; (2) provided cable

installation for the Knowledge Channel to six elementary and 16 secondary schools; (3) allocated books to 18 central and noncentral schools under the Governor’s Books for the Barrios program; (4) granted equity to the SEDIP School Building Program; (5) provided fi nancial support to various activities of the Division; and (6) provided one service vehicle and eight sets of computer units to the Division Offi ce.

The initiative on the use of information and communication technology (ICT) as a tool for instruction started in 2006. ICT equipment typically consist of a television set, a digital video disc (DVD) player, and educational DVD tapes. ABS-CBN Foundation, the provincial government, and some private individuals provided these sets of equipment. Additional computer sets were also received from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and from the “An Waray” party list.

As part of the division’s plan on how to sustain TEEP gains, it started the Adopt-A-Child Program through the Adopt-a-Child Trust Fund given by TEEP, which was formally launched in 2006. The project intends to address the problems on dropout, truancy, low participation rate, and low completion rate among pupils especially in depressed, disadvantaged, and underserved schools. School supplies and uniforms were provided to indigent pupils, and feeding activities were done in schools.

The provision of Knowledge Channel subscription, which was pursued by the provincial government with help from the ABS-CBN Foundation, enhanced lessons in English, Science, Mathematics, Filipino, and Makabayan subjects. Maximum interest in the lessons was sustained.


The Livelihood, Agriculture, Values, and Entrepreneurship Program was launched in August of 2006. A “brainchild” of the provincial government, this program integrates the promotion of agriculture as part of the technical/livelihood education subject in order to develop the students’ entrepreneurial skills. Approved project proposals from the students were given funding by the provincial government. Students involved in the project expressed more interest in their studies because part of the sales of their produce were utilized for their school expenses.

The SEDIP provides technical and fi nancial assistance to improve academic performance, decrease dropout rate, and increase comple-tion rate in secondary schools. This is jointly funded by the Government of the Philippines, Asian Development Bank (ADB), and the Japan Bank of International Cooperation (JBIC).

C. CHALLENGES

Priority improvement areas have been identifi ed for each of the three levels of basic education which the DepEd Division of Biliran and the provincial government believe could contribute to the improvement of learner performance and participation rate as well as increase access to basic education.

On the Provision of Access

1. Employ adequate, highly motivated, and competent pre-elementary teachers, elemen-tary and secondary teachers, master teachers, school heads, and ALS coordinators

2. Equip the schools with the necessary modern technology equipment

3. Provide teachers and students with adequate instructional and learning materials

4. Increase participation, cohort survival, completion, and graduation rates

5. Decrease the number of dropouts, repeat-ers, and school leavers

6. Extend ALS education to out-of-school children, youths, and adults

On Quality and Relevance

1. Enhance subject knowledge and teaching skills of teachers

2. Improve students’ mastery of the learning competencies in all subject areas

3. Reduce the incidence of malnutrition in the schools

4. Increase the number of Philippine Educational Placement Test (PEPT) and ALS Accreditation and Equivalency (A and E) passers

On Management of Educational Services

1. Improve organizational management effi ciency

2. Raise stakeholders’ support and involve-ment

3. Strengthen resource-mobilization efforts in the division

4. Provide adequate administrative facilities and equipment

5. Establish functional and reliable Educa-tional Management Information System (EMIS) in schools, districts, and division

6. Establish an ICT structure7. Ratify ownership of school sites


1. Knowledge Channel

Launched in 2005, this project is funded by the provincial government in coopera-tion with ABS-CBN. Sixteen secondary schools were provided with 29” television sets, parabolic dish, and other accessories to enable access to the KTV or Knowl-edge Channel. Th e power consumption, maintenance, and other operating expenses are supported by the parents and other stakeholders.

Lessons in English, Science, Mathemat-ics, Filipino, and Makabayan subjects were obviously enhanced, supporting the fact that delivering lessons through the broad-cast medium generates ands sustains the maximum interest of the students in learn-ing new lessons. Th e teaching-learning situation was improved considering that the strategy employs interactive learning.

Th e multifaceted role of the teacher is also harnessed as a facilitator of learning. Th e implementation of the KTV Program provided an opportunity for teachers to adopt an interactive teaching procedure as an eff ective alternative strategy other than the usual conventional teaching practices.

2. Livelihood, Agriculture, Values, and Entrepreneurship (LAVE)

Initiated by the provincial government, the project was launched on August 22, 2006, in cooperation with the DepEd and the Commission on Higher Education (CHED). Started with an initial funding of P500,000, the project integrates the promotion of agriculture as a means of livelihood. Th is is in line with the Tech-nical Livelihood/Vocational Education subject (TLV/TVE) aimed at developing the entrepreneurial skills of students. Th e implemented projects ranged from vegeta-ble gardening, crop production, tilapia and crab culture, ceramics, and vermiculture production, among others. Th e students involved in the project openly expressed more interest in their studies because part of the sale of their produce will be used for their school expenses.



Goal 3: Promote Gender Equality

Target 3A. Eliminate gender disparity in primary and secondary education, preferably by 2015, and in all levels of education no later than 2015.


In the 2006 CBMS survey, the provincial average ratio of girls to boys in primary educa-tion was 1.0. This means that the number of girls was proportionate to the number of boys. The condition was true both in the urban (0.98) and in the rural (0.99) areas.

The derived ratio between girls and boys who were in secondary education was 1.1.

This indicates that there were more girls in secondary education than boys. The same condition existed in the rural (1.04) and urban (1.13) areas.

The provincial average ratio of girls to boys in tertiary education was also 1.1, indicating that there were more girls than boys. By urbanity, more boys in urban areas were in tertiary education than girls, opposite to the condition in the rural areas, where there were more girls than boys.

The survey further showed that there were more literate males than females 15- 24 years old in Biliran, with a ratio of 0.9. The condition existed both in rural and urban areas.


With regard to the proportion of seats in government held by women, there were 1,159 local elective posts in the province including that of the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) president. Of this number, 451 were held by women (39% of the total elective seats), while 708 were occupied by men, corresponding to 61 percent.

Ratio of Girls to Boys in Primary Education

Table 20 shows that the ratio between girls and boys in primary education was almost equal in the municipalities of Almeria, Biliran, Cabucgayan, Kawayan, and Naval with the ratio of 1. The municipalities of Caibiran, Culaba, and Maripipi posted a ratio of 0.9, signifying that there were more boys than girls in these municipalities who were in primary education.


Ratio of Girls to Boys in Secondary Education The municipalities of Biliran, Cabucgayan,

Caibiran, Culaba, Kawayan, and Naval had a ratio of more than 1.0 as shown in table 21. This means more girls were in secondary education compared to boys. The number of boys to girls was almost equal in the municipalities of Almeria and Maripipi.

Ratio of Girls to Boys in Tertiary Education

The ratio of boys and girls in tertiary educa-tion in Caibiran, Culaba, and Naval was 1.0. The other fi ve municipalities had more girls compared to boys. It was noted that only Maripipi registered a ratio (1.5) where girls constitute two-thirds of the total number of students who were in tertiary education.

Proportion of Elective Seats Held by Women

In the 2007 elections, women held 38.9 percent of the total elective seats in the

Source: CBMS Survey 2005-2006

Figure 14


province. There were more women (54%) than men in the municipality of Caibiran who held elective positions. In the municipalities of Biliran and Culaba, the number of women was almost equal to men as shown in the table 24. The least number of elective positions held by women was in the municipality of Almeria where women occupied only 23.6 percent of the total seats, followed by Naval with 31.2 percent. The province is 11.1 percent behind the national target of 50 percent.

B. CHALLENGES

1. The disparity between boys and girls who are enrolled in school is apparent as they move to higher levels of education. The reasons, foremost of which is the family’s economic stability, have already been presented in the previous discussions. This situation explains why parents are unable to send their children,

particularly the boys, to school. Despite the DepEd’s offering free elementary and high school education and, in some instances, even free school uniforms and free school supplies, poor families could hardly sustain keeping their children in school.

2. Attaining the target ratio of 1:1 for boys and girls in secondary and tertiary educa-tion requires more advocacies for boys and looking into other factors contributing to the disparity.

3. There is a need to in tens i fy the implementation of the ALS program in the province and to advocate commitments from NGOs, LGUs, the community, and other stakeholders.

4. The interest of women to participate in local politics has to be raised.

5558888

Conduct of Annual WomenÊs Congress

Every year, the Provincial

Women’s Congress is conducted in partnership with the Biliran Council for Women’s Welfare, Incorporated (PCWWI). The celebration revolves around the Agenda for Women of President

Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Governor Ro-gelio J. Espina’s administration as embodied in the Framework Plan for Women (FPW): human rights, economic empowerment, and gender-responsive governance.

Th e two-day congress emphasizes the vital role of women in the development of the prov-ince and their indispensable cooperation in its various activities. It made them fully aware of gender and development advocacies. It also

trained them on livelihood activities and taught them the adoption of valuable self-growth practices.

In 2006, there were 1,320 women who attended the gathering. This number increased to 2,130 in 2009.



Goal 4: Reduce Child MortalityTarget 4A. Reduce by two-thirds, between 1990 and 2015, the under-five mortality rate.


The CBMS survey in 2006 showed that Biliran had registered 93 deaths among children aged 0 to less than 5 years old. Of this number, 54 were males (58.1%) and 39 (41.9%) were females.

The province had a total of 16,761 children aged 0 to 5 years old in 2006. The males constituted 51.0 percent (16,761) and the females, 49.0 percent (8,550). The magnitude of the population was concentrated in the rural areas (78.2%) while the urban areas accounted for the remaining 21.8 percent.

In Biliran, the proportion of children aged 0 to less than 5 years old who died is 0.6.

The under-fi ve mortality rate of the province is 27.1, which is 15.9 lower than the regional average of 43.0 and is better than the national average of 32.0.

Moreover, the NSCB disclosed that the under-fi ve mortality rate of Eastern Visayas of 43.0 is the second-highest in the country, next to Region IV-B and ARMM, with both regions having the rate of 45.0 (RSET Report 2009).

There were 40 infants who died in 2006, 33 (25) of which were males (62.5%) and 15 of which were females (37.5%).

The survey also revealed that there were 2,915 children in Biliran aged zero to less than 1 year old. Of the total number, 1,500 (51.5%) were males and 1,415 were females (48.5%). Majority of the children were from the rural areas (77.8%), while only 22.2% were from the urban areas.


There were 53 children in the province aged 1 to less than 5 years old who died in 2006. The males constituted 54.7 percent (29) and females, 45.3 percent (24). Majority of those who died were in the rural areas (88.7%), while 11.3 percent came from the urban areas. The survey result further showed that the proportion of children aged 1 to less than 5 years old who died was 0.4.

There were a total of 13,846 children in Biliran during the CBMS survey in 2006 whose age ranged from 1 to less than 5 years old. The males numbered 7,050 (50.9%) while the females

numbered 6,796 (49.1%). A considerable number of children who belonged to this age group bracket were from the rural areas (78.3%). The rest (21.7%) were from the urban areas.

Proportion of Children Aged 0 to Less Than 5 Years Old Who Died

The municipality of Naval registered the highest number of deaths (24), which account-ed for 25.8 percent of the total deaths, followed by the municipality of Culaba with 21 deaths (22.6%). The municipality of Maripipi registered three deaths (3.2%).


The municipali ty of Naval contributed 30.1 percent of the total number of children aged 0 to less than 5 years old who died, followed by Caibi-ran with 14.6 percent, and the municipality of Kawayan (14.6%). The municipality of Maripipi had the least percentage share at 4.0 percent.

Proportion of Infants Who Died

The municipali ty of Culaba got the highest proportion of infants who died (4.6%) followed by the municipality of Maripipi (2.9%). The municipality of Naval had the highest number of children who died (11), which accounted for 27.5 percent of the total number, followed by the municipality of Cabucgayan with 8 (20.0%). No infant died in the municipality of Caibiran during the survey conducted in 2006.

The proportion of infants who died in Biliran in 2006 was 1.4 percent. Common causes of deaths were pneumonia, prematurity, sepsis, congenital anomalies, and diarrhea (Annual Health Report, PHO, Biliran). The infant mortal-ity rate per 1,000 live births was 13.5, which is 17.5 lower than the regional average rate of 31.0. The provincial rate is still lower by 10.5 compared to the national average rate of 24.0.

Table 27. Proportion of Infants Who Died, by Sex, By Urban/Rural, and By Municipality Province of Biliran

Figure 15


In 2006 (2009 RSET, Eastern Visayas), Region VIII ranked fourth among the 17 regions of the country with a high infant mortality rate per 1,000 live births (31.0). Region IV-B (34.0) topped the list, followed by ARMM (33.0) and Region IX (32.0). Region VI had the lowest rate with 18.0.

The municipality of Naval accounted for 23.5 percent of the total number of children aged 0

to less than 1 year old (920), followed by the municipality of Caibiran with 418 (10.7%). The municipality of Maripipi had the lowest number with 11 (3.8%).

Proportion of Children Aged 1 to Less Than 5 Years Old who Died

The municipalities of Naval and Caibiran both had 13 children who died while the

Table 30. Proportion of Children Aged 1 to Less than 5 Who Died, By Sex, By Urban/Rural, and By Municipality, Province of Biliran

Figure 16


municipalities of Kawayan and Maripipi each had one child who died in 2006.

The municipality of Naval contributed the highest percentage share (15.3%) followed by the municipality of Caibiran (7.5%). The municipality of Maripipi had the least percent-age share of 2.0 percent.


One of the major goals of the province is to improve the health status of Biliranons through a broad implementation of national and local health programs, increase access to quality health services, and reduce fi nancial burden of individual families.

To address problems in public health, the province and its eight component munici-palities collaborated on the establishment of the Biliran Interlocal Health Zone (ILHZ) in 2003. Managed by a governing board and a technical advisory body, the ILHZ helped strengthen the LGUs’ capability in the formu-

lation and implementation of policies, plans, and programs.

In 2005, the FOURmula One for Health (F1) was formulated by the Department of Health (DOH) as a framework to implement health sector reforms. With the support of the European Commission (EC), the Health Sector Policy Support Program (HSPSP) was initiated in 16 provinces including Biliran. The program called for the formulation of the Provincewide Investment Plan for Health (PIPH), which became Biliran’s guidepost in the changes that it needed to put into action in the public health sector.

Some of the strategies aim to achieve by year 2010 the following: (1) reduce maternal mortality rate; (2) reduce infant mortality rate; (3) reduce death rates due to tuberculosis; (4) reduce prevalence of underweight children; and (5) increase universal PhilHealth coverage.

For the Child Health Program (CHP), Biliran achieved 97 percent full immunization

Figure 17


rate for children in 2009 from a baseline of 88.6 percent in 2005. It also accomplished a signifi cant reduction in the prevalence of malnourished children from 26.9 percent in 2004 to 15.6 percent in 2009. Due to the full support of the provincial and municipal LGUs in addressing the problem, malnutri-tion in Biliran is now below the national average of 21.6 percent. Municipal Health Officers (MHOs), public health nurses (PHNs), and rural health midwives (RHMs) received training on Integrated Manage-ment of Childhood Illnesses (IMCI), while barangay health workers (BHWs) and barangay nutrition scholars (BNSs) received training on Pabasa sa Nutrisyon program.

The percentage of newborn babies initiated to breastfeeding within one hour of birth in 2008 was 94.5 percent, which is much higher than the national target of 85 percent. This is attributed to the high incidence of facility-based deliveries.

C. CHALLENGES

Several programs have been undertaken along the line of child health but there are still some issues that need to be addressed such as:

1. Lack of regular monitoring and evalu-ation activities on child health programs at the municipal and provincial levels

2. Lack of policies and regulation, especial-ly related to fund allocation, in support of various child health programs

3. Sustained feeding program to address malnutrition; enhanced convergence of efforts of various implementers, support groups, and other providers for proper coordination

4. Functionality of health teams5. Minimal benefi ts for BNS for services

afforded to the program6. Renewed advocacy on good health-

seeking behavior



Target 5A: Reduce by three quarters, between 1990 and 2015, the maternal mortality ratio


The CBMS survey in 2006 revealed that there were six accounted deaths in Biliran due to pregnancy-related causes. One came from an urban area; fi ve, from rural areas. The mater-nal mortality ratio per 100,000 live births was 205, while the proportion of female deaths due to pregnancy-related causes was 0.2 On the other hand, no data were derived on the use of contraceptives.

The PHO also reported in 2006 the same number (6) of maternal deaths related to

pregnancy. Direct causes were postpartum hemorrhage (PPH), which accounted for 66.7 percent of the total deaths, followed by sepsis with one case accounting for 16.7 percent, and eclampsia with also one case (16.7%). The report also disclosed that there were 390 couples in the entire province practicing contraception using condoms.

Moreover, under the Maternal and Child Healthcare Program (MCHP), the PHO assisted 3,335 pregnant women who made prenatal visits and 3,256 women who under-went postpartum care. Aside from the exten-sive promotion of breastfeeding, the PHO administered Tetanus Toxoid-2 Plus to 3,037 pregnant women, complete iron dosage to 3,384 expectant mothers, and Vitamin A to 3,044 lactating mothers.

Goal 5: Improve Maternal Health


In its 2006 annual report, the PHO revealed that the promotion of family planning employing various methods resulted to 8,903 continu-ing users. By the end of 2006, there were 3,118 new acceptors.

Proportion of Female Deaths Due to Pregnancy-related Causes

Table 33 shows that out of six cases of maternal mortality, two cases were from the municipality of Kawayan. The municipalities of Cabucgayan, Caibiran, Culaba, and Naval had one case each. The municipalities of Almeria, Biliran, and Maripipi reported no female deaths associated with pregnancy.

Table 29. Improve Maternal Health Summary Table, Province of Biliran

Table 30. Proportion of Female Deaths due to Pregnancy-Related Causes by Urban/Rural and By Municipality, Province of Biliran

Figure 18


Target 5B: Achieve, by 2015, universal access to reproductive health

Proportion of Couples Who Use Contraception

No data were derived from the CBMS survey on couples who used contraception. The Integrated Provincial Health Offi ce (IPHO) Biliran reported that there were 390 couples in the entire province who were practicing contraception using condoms.

B.CURRENT POLICIES AND PROGRAMS

The Provincewide Investment Plan for Health (PIPH) gave Biliran the means to institutionalize measures that make the task of implementing health care reforms stronger and easier. The mechanism embodied in the PIPH paved the way for the orderly transformation of health care services.

Health workers’ competencies are improved through human resource and health develop-ment and management trainings. Participation in all levels is brought about by organizing barangay health councils (BHCs) and the local health boards.

With regard to the Maternal Health Program (MHP), Biliran attained 95 percent facility-based deliveries in 2009, where 96 percent of the births were attended to by trained birth attendants (TBAs). The maternal death review (MDR) was institutionalized, while Women’s Health Teams (WHTs) were organized and trained in all barangays. Maternal deaths decreased drastically starting 2007.

The implementation of the MHP in 2006 under the funding of the Japan Interna-tional Cooperation Agency (JICA) was a total blessing. Rural Health Units (RHUs)

and Barangay Health Stations (BHSs) were upgraded to function as fully opera-tional birthing facilities. Field health doctors, nurses, and midwives were sent to training programs. The provincial and municipal governments enacted legislation enforcing deliveries at the birthing facilities rather than by “hilots.” Proactive advocacy led the people away from their usual practice to availing themselves of the safety and profes-sional competence of the birthing facilities.

By the end of 2009, the percentage of women giving birth at these facilities reached more than 95 percent. Some RHUs have even achieved zero home delivery.

C. CHALLENGES

The implementation of Women’s Health and Safe Motherhood Program faced various challenges despite the efforts exerted by concerned implementing and coordinating agencies/groups as exhibited by the following:

1. Renewed advocacy. Majority of women especially in the rural areas lack the neces-sary information on maternal health during and after pregnancy and are unaware of the importance and benefi ts of facility-based delivery.

2. Poor referral system. Strengthening of Barangay Health Teams (BHTs) composed of a midwife, BHWs, and traditional health attendants (“hilots”). The team should be equipped with local information and be ready to assist clients anytime.

3. Readiness of the hospital to accept emergencies. Trained staff, facilities, and equipment are set ready and emergency drugs are always available.


4. LGU support. Improvement of health stations and their facilities and the provision of additional equipment and medicines

5. Use of contraceptives. Hesitance to use contraceptives due to the low level of aware-ness of the target groups. Many people in the rural areas have misconceptions about the use of modern contraceptives and fear of their side effects. The opposition of the church on the use of artifi cial family planning methods is also a major cause of the low rate of contraceptive use in the province.



Goal 6: Combat HIV/ AIDS, Malaria and Other Diseases

Target 6A: Have halted by 2015 and begun to reverse the spread of HIV/AIDS


Results of the CBMS survey in 2006 provided no data on couples who were practicing contraception using condoms. There was also no data on the number of deaths associated with malaria. On

the other hand, there were 27 reported deaths due to tuberculosis, consisting of 16 males (59.3%) and 11 females (40.7%). Ten incidents occurred in the urban areas while 17 cases were in the rural areas. The propor-tion of the number of deaths per 100,000 population associated with tuberculosis in the province of Biliran was 0.0187. There were no cases of HIV/AIDS in the province, according to the report of the PHO.


Target 6C: Have halted by 2015 and begun to reverse the incidence of malaria and other major diseases

Proportion of Couples Using Condoms among Those Practicing Contraception

In its 2006 annual report, the PHO disclosed that there were 290 couples in the entire province practicing contraception using condoms. The municipality of Naval had the highest number of 80 couples (27.6% of the total number of users), followed by the municipality of Almeria with 68 couples (23.5%), Caibiran with 59 couples (20.3%), Kawayan with 39 couples (13.5%), Culaba with 26 (9.0%), Cabucgayan with 10 (3.5%) and Maripipi with 8 (2.8%). There were no couples who used condoms in the municipality of Biliran as per PHO report.

Death Rates Associated with Malaria

The survey indicated no deaths associated with malaria. The PHO also reported no such incidents in 2006.

Death Rates Associated with Tuberculosis

Of the 27 incidents of death associated with tuberculosis, six cases (22.2%) came from the

municipality of Culaba. The municipalities of Caibiran and Kawayan reported four cases each, followed by the municipalities of Biliran, Maripipi, and Naval with three cases each. The municipalities of Almeria and Cabuc-gayan had the least number of deaths with two cases each.

Total tuberculosis cases numbered 378 (PHO Report, 2006). The municipality of Naval accounted for the most number of cases with 122 followed by the municipalities of Caibiran with 59 cases, Kawayan with 49, Cabuc-gayan with 42, Biliran with 30, Almeria 29, and Culaba 29. The municipality of Maripipi had the least number with 18 cases.


As an integral part of the total health reform of the province, all Health Education Promo-tion Offi cers (HEPO) designates (PHOs and RHUs) received an integrated and interactive training on healthy lifestyle and health risk management. On the advocacy campaign for risk behavior, the province implemented the Responsible Youth and Family (RYF) program in coordination with the municipal LGUs, barangays, the DepEd, religious organiza-tions, and the private sector. Teen Centers were established in three municipalities.

Table 31. Combat HIV/AIDS, Malaria, and Other Diseases, Summary Table By Sex, By Urban/Rural, Province of Biliran


On the other hand, the ILHZ-Tuberculosis Diagnosis Committee (TBDC) is fully opera-tional and on top of the tuberculosis control services. The municipality of Naval was able to organize the Public Private Mix Directly Observed Treatment Short Course (PPMDOTS). The MHOs, PHNs, and medtechs in all RHUs of Biliran were trained for the implementation of TB Program for Children. TB cure rate for the province as of the third quarter of 2009 was 98.0 percent, which is higher than the national target of 85.0 percent

C. CHALLENGES

There were some cases and signs of Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) being detected in the PHO but there was no sign or case of HIV reported. Despite this result, challenges still prevail:

1. Regular hygiene/counseling of workers in entertainment establishments

2. Intensifi cation of information and educa-tion campaigns

3. High-risk population diffi cult to reach/undetectable

4. No private clinics5. No isolation room in the hospital6. Lack of necessary drugs

On the control and treatment of tuberculosis, some of the issues and challenges are as follows:

1. Intensifi cation of campaign and monitor-ing activities

2. Improvement of laboratory testing facili-ties

3. Interrupted treatments—behavioral-related cases



Goal 7: Ensure Environmental Sustainability

Target 7A: Integrate the principles of sustainable development into country policies and programs and reverse the loss of environmental resources


The province of Biliran has a total land area of 52,998.0 ha (Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Offi ce [PENRO], Biliran Data Report). Certifi ed alienable and dispos-able (A and D) lands constitute 29,366 ha (55.4%) while forestlands equivalent to 23,632 ha represent the remaining 44.6 percent. Of the total forestland area, 23,478 ha are classi-fi ed as established timberlands while only 154 ha are classifi ed as fi shpond areas.

In the 2006 CBMS survey, 93.6 percent. of the households in the province (28,783) had access to safe drinking water. The proportion of population with access to safe drinking water was 93.5 percent. The magnitude of population served was 134,890. Urban areas (98.7%) were better served than rural areas (92.0%).

As to the proportion of households with access to sanitary toilet facilities,71.5 percent (21,978) of the total number of households had access. The proportion of population with access was 71.3 percent, or 102,929 of the population. The rural population had less access to sanitary toilet facilities at 68.2 percent compared to the urban population with 81.8 percent.


The proportion of households who were informal settlers was 2.50 percent or 768 households. The proportion of population was 2.6 percent, equivalent to 3,726 individuals. On the other hand, 3.9 percent (1,203) of the total number of households consisted of makeshift housing. The proportion of population living in makeshift housing was 3.8 percent, equivalent to 5,490 number of population. There were also 10,804 house-

holds, or 35.1 percent of the total number of households, who were living in inadequate living conditions. The magnitude of population numbered 51,068 or 35.4 percent of the total number of population in the province.

Proportion of Land Area Covered by Forest

Table 36 shows that the municipality of Maripipi had the highest proportion of land

Table 32. Ensure Environmental Sustainability, Summary Table

Table 33. Proportion of Land Area Covered by Forest, Province of Biliran


area covered by forest (66.0%) followed by the municipality of Caibiran (59.2%) and Almeria (55.2%). The municipality of Kawayan had the least forest cover at 26.3 percent.


The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) PENRO-Biliran in its 2009 annual report stated the grim reality that the forest cover of the province is under severe threat. It continuous decline prompted the introduction of development projects/programs over the past 36 years by concerned agencies, a clear indication that there is a real need for a concerted effort towards the sustainable development of forest resources. The population of Biliran can be tapped in the development of these resources by mobilizing every sector’s active participation in the imple-mentation of DENR’s development programs and projects. These activities create additional and immediate employment and income for poor upland households and people’s organizations (POs), which are considered as partners-implementers in protecting and rehabilitating the forestlands.

Regular programs and projects implemented in the province involving various partners are as follows:

1. Upland Development Project – imple-mented in support of the government’s Economic Resiliency Plan. The project involves natural forest regeneration, reforestation, and agro-forestry.

2. Forest Management and Forest Products Development – monitoring of established plantations covered by agreements such as Industrial Forestry Management Agreement (IFMA), Socialized Industrial Forest Manage-ment Agreement (SIFMA), and private planta-

tions; operationalization and maintenance of forestry information system, among others.

3. Forest Protection – implemented effective strategies to minimize, if not eradicate, illegal logging and/or timber poaching

4. Community-Based Forest Management (CBFM) – this program/project adheres to the principles of social equity, sustainability, and community participation in forest management and biodiversity conservation.

As an environmental component, terrestrial resources in the upland and lowland areas, including the sea waters surrounding the island province, were exhaustively monitored.

Sand and gravel extraction was strictly prohibited along beaches and shorelines. In some cases where extractions were allowed, issuance of permits was regulated to ensure optimum productivity without sacrificing ecological balance.

The office concerned with provincial eco-tourism, in coordination with the Philip-pine National Police (PNP) and the Fishery Section of the OPAS, also monitors possible intrusions of commercial fi shing vessels in the municipal waters.

C. CHALLENGES AND PRIORITIES

Forging a collaborative endeavor and fi rming up commitments to the implementation of developmental projects and programs is a big challenge requiring the active involve-ment and strong support of concerned organizations/entities, such as the provincial and municipal LGUs, national government agencies (NGAs), other government agencies (OGAs), and the private sector.

The reforestation of denuded forestlands


and protection of watershed areas are of utmost concern.

Environmental protection is also pursued as a complementary activity to the promotion of eco-tourism in Biliran.

Target 7C. Halve, by 2015, the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation

Proportion of Population with Access to Safe Drinking Water

The municipality of Kawayan posted the

highest proportion of population with access to safe drinking water with 99.2 percent followed by the municipality of Almeria with 98.4 percent. The municipality of Maripipi had the lowest proportion with 62.1 percent, which is 31.1 percentage points below the provincial average of 93.2 percent

Table 34. Proportion of Population with Access to Safe Drinking Water, By Urban/Rural, By Municipality, Province of Biliran

Figure 19


Proportion of Population with Access to Sanitary Toilet Facilities

Of the eight municipalities, Maripipi had the highest proportion of population who had access to sanitary toilet facilities at 94.3 percent followed by the municipality of Almeria with 85.1 percent. The municipality of Caibiran had 61.5 percent, which is 9.8 percentage points lower than the provincial average.

Target 7D: By 2020, must have achieved a significant improvement in the lives of at least 100 million slum dwellers


Proportion of Households/Population Who are Informal Settlers

Among the eight municipalities of the province, Caibiran had the highest propor-tion of households (3.8% or a total of 141 households) who were informal settlers. The municipality of Naval had the highest number with 246 households, equivalent to 2.8 percent of the total number of households.

As to proportion of the population, the munici-

palities of Caibiran and Biliran again got the

Table 35. Proportion of Population with Access to Sanitary Toilet Facilities, By Urban/Rural, and By Municipality, Province of Biliran

76

Figure 20

Figure 21


highest at 3.7 percent each. The municipality of Naval accounted for the highest number (1,154) with a proportion of 2.8 percent.

These informal settlements are mostly found in hazard-prone areas frequently disturbed by fl ooding, wave actions, and soil erosion. Houses are built along coastal lines, near river banks, and on high-slope and steep areas.

Proportion of Population Who are Living in Makeshift Housing

The CBMS survey in 2006 showed that 3.9 percent or 1,203 households were living in makeshift

Table 36. Proportion of Households/Population Who are Informal Settlers

housing. Majority of these households were locat-ed in the capital town of Naval (594 households).

Proportion of Population Living in Inadequate Housing Conditions

The municipality of Maripipi had the highest percentage share of households (44.6%) and proportion of population (44.8%) living in inadequate situation followed by the municipality Caibiran with 41.9%. Naval registered the biggest number with 3,090 households.

Th e s e we re t h e h o u s e h o l d s w h o fe l t they rece ived and exper ienced

Table 37. Proportion of Population Who Are Living in Makeshift Housing, By Sex, By Urban/Rural, and By Municipality, Province of Biliran


i n a d e qu a te b a s i c services, absence of livelihood opportunities, and who had problems with tenure security.


The Government of the Philippines (GOP), through its major development plans on water development such as the Water and Sanitation Master Plan, the Philippine National Develop-ment Plan, and the Updated Medium-Term Philippine Development Plan, has manifested its commitment to the development of safe

and dependable water supply and sanitation facilities. Guiding principles in the national development plans are sustained decen-tralization, private sector-led development, environmental protection, people participa-tion, full-cost recovery, social equity, acceler-ated information technology application, and microeconomic stability.

With the enactment of the Local Government Code of 1991 (RA 7160), LGUs now have a more responsive and accountable structure. They now exercise more authority and greater

Table 38. Proportion of Population Living in Inadequate Housing Conditions, By Sex, By Urban/Rural, and By Municipality, Province of Biliran

Figure 22


responsibilities and must provide resources to accelerate the provision of basic services and facilities, including water supply.

The implementation of water supply projects in the province is consistent with the priorities of the provincial government, as set out in the Provincial Sanitation Sector Plan (PSSP). In this regard, the province has implemented the ADB-funded Rural Water Supply and Sanita-tion Sector Project (RW3SP) in coordination with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), and the DOH. The program was implemented in the latter part of 1999 and was completed towards the end of 2006. The province provided 30 percent counterpart for the project.

The RW3SP involved the construction and rehabilitation of Level 1 water supply facilities (shallow well, deep well, and spring develop-ment). There were 137 units/facilities that were constructed/rehabilitated in the duration of the program. Along with the implementa-tion, Barangay Waterworks and Sanitation Associations (BWSAs) were organized and offi cers were trained on the maintenance and operation of the projects.

The program also included the construction of public toilets in the municipalities, distribu-tion of latrines, and the establishment of a water-testing laboratory in the municipality of Naval.

The Naval Water District is continuously improving its water lines to cope up with increasing demand. Likewise, RWSAs being run and managed by the municipal LGUs are restructuring their water systems by tapping additional water sources and installing adequate piping systems and water meters.

The Provincial Investment Program (PIP) consistently includes the “Patubig sa Baran-gay” project, which provides drinking water to interior and fur-fl ung barangays and sitios in the whole province.

C. CHALLENGES

On Forest and Protected Areas

The DENR absolutely performs its mandated functions in the conservation and manage-ment of the forest areas, but there are still some issues that have to be addressed such as:

1. Lack of delineation between forest and protected areas

2. Encroachment of settlements in forest areas resulting to the proliferation of agricul-tural activity (“kaingin” or slash-and-burn farming) that results to the illegal cutting of trees

3. Unregulated activities (e.g., hunting, poaching) in proclaimed protected areas

4. Existence of claims and settlements within the forest and protected areas

On Access to Potable Water Supply

Access to potable water supply in the province is already quite high but improved service delivery requires that the following challenges be addressed:

1. Expanded coverage of the Naval Water District. Tapping additional sources and construction of adequate water storage tanks/facilities. Water should be available 24 hours a day.

2. Cost-effectiveness of the LGU-managed RWSAs

3. Level I water facilities should be improved


and converted to Level II or small level III systems

4. Follow-up training of BWSA to keep the water facilities in the barangays sustainable

5. Testing of the water quality of water sources

On Access to Sanitary Toilet Facilities

Provision of sanitary toilet facilities is the direct concern of the individual households and not by LGUs. Thus, despite the massive campaign on sanitation, the proportion of households with sanitary toilet facilities is still very low. Local communities are confronted with the following challenges:

1. High cost of construction materials. Majority of the households in the rural areas cannot afford to buy these materials.

2. LGUs to allocate counterpart funds to individual households for the construction

3. Lack of local legislation requiring such facilities in every household

4. Strict monitoring

On the Population Living in Inadequate Situation and Makeshift Housing

1. Absence/lack of local ordinances prohibiting the construction of houses in identifi ed hazard areas

2. Lack of/nonallocation of funds for the construction of housing units as part of the devolved responsibility of the LGUs on provision of shelters

3. Lack/absence of livelihood opportuni-ties in resettlement and relocation sites

4. Lack of basic facilities in housing projects


1. „Patubig Sa Barangay ni Governor Espina‰

Th e “Patubig sa Barangay” is a note-worthy program of Governor Espina in providing potable water to all barangays and sitios in the province. Th e provincial government provided the materials while the barangays supplied the labor as their counterpart. Th e “bayanihan system” has been employed in the implementation of the project. Th e system enhanced the working relationship between the LGU and the population as the latter are part owner of the project.

2. Core Shelter Project

A relocation site has been provided by the government for identifi ed poor fami-lies who are living in hazard-prone areas. Th ese families are the perennial disaster victims who were assisted by the national government through the DSWD and by the provincial government in the construc-tion of habitable and typhoon-resistant housing units. Th e benefi ciaries themselves construct their own houses. Th ey undergo training on house construction using a model house. Th ey are provided with car-pentry tools, cash for work, and food com-modities as they construct their houses.

In 2009, close to 150 units were built in the relocation site. Basic facilities have been provided by the government as well as livelihood skills training.

Best Practices



Target 8F: In cooperation with the private sector, make available the benefits of new technologies, especially information and communications


The 2006 CBMS survey showed that there were 8,961 households with cell phones, representing 29.2 percent of the total number of households in the province. urban areas accounted for 35.8 percent while the rural areas accounted for 64.2 percent of the total number of cell phones. With the assumption that a single household owns one unit, 3,207 units were owned by urban households while

5,754 units were owned by rural households.There were 824 households in the province

with computers at the time of survey, repre-senting 2.7 percent of the total number of households. There were 382 households in the urban areas with computers and 442 households in the rural areas.

The municipality of Naval had the most number of households (3,106) with cell phones. This was followed by the municipalities of Almeria (1,161), Caibiran (1,154), Biliran (1,141), Cabucgayan (882), Culaba (573), Kawayan (503), and Maripipi (441). There were more rural households with cell phones than urban households.

Goal 8: Develop a Global Partnership for Development


Proportion of Households with Cell Phones

The municipali ty of Naval had the most number of households with computers (355) or 43.0 percent of the total number of house-holds. The municipality of Maripipi had the least number of households (30) with computers.

Table 39. Develop a Global Partnership for Development, Summary Table Province of Biliran

Table 40. Proportion of Households with Cell Phones, By Urban/Rural, and By Municipality, Province of Biliran

Figure 23


Proportion of Households with Computers

The municipality of Naval had the most number of households with computers (355) or 43.0 percent of the total number of households. The municipality of Maripipi had the least number of households (30) with computers.

B. CHALLENGES

Biliran is only a small island province; thus, it has limited poten-tial for investment in telecom-munications. It has only one local telephone exchange facility, which is located in the capital town of Naval and operated by Globe. Because of the island’s distance to highly urbanized centers, availability of high-speed Internet access is also limited.

Table 41. Proportion of Households with Computers, By Urban/Rural,and By Municipality, Province of Biliran

The results of the 2006 CBMS survey provide a clear-cut assessment of whether the MDG targets can be attained. More so, they provide guidance and direction on how these targets can be achieved by 2015. Many challenges have been laid out in achieving

Figure 24


the eight MDGs but these often came out as negative statements that need to be redefi ned and addressed positively. Attain-ing the desired objectives needs passion and a strong political leadership. New leaders will emerge as a result of the May 10, 2010, national and local elections, and

1. Biliran Provincial Information and Technology Learning Center (BPITLC)

Operated by the provincial govern-ment, the center provides lessons on basic and advanced computer operations .It is open to everyone who wants to learn the technology on his own time. To introduce the technology and to raise awareness on information technology (IT), satellite learning centers were established in se-lected areas in the province. Th e center is accredited by TESDA.

2. SCALA (Sharing Computer Access Locally and Abroad) Project

Th e Information Technology Literacy Program is a community-based program that off ers computer and life skills training to out-of-school youth and youth with dis-abilities, thereby molding them into more productive and contributing members of society. Th e program is being implemented in partnership with Engineers without Borders of Canada and the provincial gov-ernment through the PSWDO.

Th e program includes the installation of venue and program equipment as facilities for the training as well as access to current job postings, scholarships, and capital as-sistance for small business opportunities. It also inculcates values education, popula-tion awareness, and entrepreneurship skills.

this means a renewal of commitment that planners and program frontrunners should look into. Sustaining the rate of achieving the MDG targets over the remaining years also requires team effort and harmonious interagency collaboration; otherwise, the goals will be diffi cult to attain.

BBeesstt PPrraaccttiicceess


1. Priority Programs and Policy Responses

A. Eradicate Extreme Poverty and Hunger

Improve agri-fi shery production by intensify-ing/diversifying farming programs through the promotion of crop and fi shery production technologies and the provision of agri-infra support projects such as the construction of irrigation systems, farm-to-market roads, and pre- and postharvest facilities, among others.

Increase income and livelihood opportuni-ties by institutionalizing SMMEs through the “Dagdag Puhunan Pangkabuhayan” Program and the One Town One Product (OTOP) program of DTI in all municipalities of the province.

Improve the marketing system, access to credit, and fi nancing assistance through the microlending program and the provision of microlivelihood and economic relief assistance

to farmers, fishermen, cooperatives, and overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).

Gradually develop the tourism industry by constructing tourism facilities and infrastruc-ture. Encourage private sector investment in the industry to facilitate the generation of more employment opportunities.

Institutionalize the PESO, conduct regular jobs fairs, and establish an offl ine and online Philjobnet.

Sustain the supplemental feeding program and encourage more NGO and private-sector participation.

B. Achieve Universal Education

Increase the overall mean percentage scores (MPS) performance both for the secondary and elementary levels by enhancing teacher/pupil/student capacities and competencies. This can be achieved through continuous capacity

Part 3. Meeting the 2015 Challenge


building for teachers. Complete supplies and instructional materials should be provided.

Strengthen the LCIP by establishing function-al reading projects in all schools, install a school guidance center, and utilize computer-aided learning materials.

Improve the implementation of the ALS by providing adequate supplies and instructional materials.

C. Health Reforms

Ensure the sustainability of the MCHP as identi-fi ed in the PIPH. Conduct continuous advocacy on maternal and child health care, lifestyle, and infectious diseases through a massive information campaign; distribution of information, education, and communication (IEC) materials; and hosting/airing a regular radio program.

Install adequate and effi cient water supply facilities to underserved areas. Likewise, strengthen the provincial sanitation program through strong governance, adequate fi nanc-ing, and clear regulatory procedures.

D. Improve the Lives of Slum Dwellers

Minimize the proliferation of unplanned and overcrowded settlements. There should be a thorough assessment of disadvantaged families who could be beneficiaries of a government housing program. The Core Shelter Project provides lots with housing units while the CMP provides lots at affordable cost.

E. Reverse the Loss of Environmental Resources

Strict implementation of environmental laws should be enforced by concerned government

agencies such as the DENR and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR). The government should continue to provide protective infrastructure to hazard-prone areas, mitigate indiscriminate land conversion to protect selected agricultural lands, encour-age urban expansion to environmentally compatible areas, and review and update land-use plans and zoning of the municipali-ties.

F. Address the Limited Budget of LGUs

Develop a workable and effective revenue generation plan to improve and increase tax collection. Capacity programs should be made available to LGUs on this matter. Develop further the partnership with NGOs and the private sector, tapping their resources to enhance development. Tap available foreign assistance.

2. Financing the MDG

With the limited income of the province, carry-ing out programs and projects to achieve the MDG targets requires convergence of efforts and resources of the national and local govern-ments, the private sector, and foreign donors.

The province of Biliran posted an average annual income growth rate of only 8.34 percent from 2006 to 2009. The biggest single income contributor is the IRA, which accounted for 90.62 percent (from 2006-09) of the province’s income. The remaining 9.38 percent was derived from local taxes (local property tax, business and income taxes, etc.). Aside from the IRA with its annual growth rate of 7.78 percent (from 2006-09), there were no signifi cant increases in other sources of income except for grants and donations, which had an 82.8 percent average annual growth rate.


Table 42. Summary of Incomes and Expenditures, Biliran Province (2006-09)

On average, the province’s expendi-tures grew at the rate of 12.82 percent. The largest component goes to personal services (53.44%) followed by MOOE (42.33%), fi nan-cial expenses (1.14%), and subsidies given to LGUs (3.09%). For the four-year period of 2006-09, the province posted an average budget surplus of P47.0 million.

In the 2010 annual budget, 30.38 percent goes to health care services (hospital and fi eld health services), public services (29.79%), engineering services (11.10%), economic services (9.07%), and social security and social services and welfare (4.18%). Infra-

structure support and other obligations constitute 15.48 percent of the total budget.

3. Monitoring the MDG

The CBMS is sti l l considered as the most effective tool for monitoring the MDGs through the LGUs. There are other monitoring tools developed and used by line agencies of the national government (i.e., DepEd, DOH) that are internal to the agencies and contain their respective specific targets. These monitoring tools could also be of help in tracking the progress of the MDGs.


899Status Report on the Millennium Development Goals Using CBMS Data PPrroovviinnccee ooff BBiilliirraann

EXPLANATORY TEXT

1 Decentralization in the Philippines: Strengthening Local Government Financing and Resource Management in the Short-Term, 2005 (A Joint Document of the World Bank and

the Asian Development Bank)

A. Preparation of Provincial Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) Report Using CBMS Data

1. Background and Justification

The availability of good statistics and the capacity of governments, donors

and international organizations to systematically measure, monitor and

report on progress in all social and economic spheres are at the heart of

development policy and the achievement of the MDGs.

The Millennium Development Goals Report 2007

While progress toward the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) is systematically being measured, moni-tored and reported at the national level, clearly, there must be a parallel effort at the local level to bring the MDGs into the main-stream of the local development agenda.

This is especially called for under decen-tralized regimes where local government units (LGUs) are at the forefront of policy or program execution. Unfortunately, how-ever, national statistical systems have yet to respond adequately to the demand for mi-cro-level statistics that can aid LGUs in their poverty alleviation efforts, as noted in a joint World Bank and Asian Development Bank

report, to wit: “the most comprehensive and consistent comparative subnational data (are) is at the regional level although this is simply an administrative level of govern-ment that has no responsibilities for delivery of social services. More data (are) is gradu-ally becoming available at the provincial level, but not at lower levels which are at the frontline of efforts to reduce poverty .”

In response, the Philippine Government has embarked on an initiative to localize the MDGs using the Community-Based Monitoring System (CBMS). In 2005, the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB) issued Resolution No. 6 “recog-nizing and enjoining support to the CBMS as a tool for strengthening the statistical system at the local level that will generate statistics for monitoring and evaluation of development plans, including the progress of the local governments in attaining the Millennium Development Goals.”

Meanwhile, several approaches are be-ing carried out by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) in capacitating LGUs to contribute to the at-tainment of the MDGs and uplifting the quality of life of their constituents. These interventions are particularly stated in DILG Memorandum Circular (MC) No. 2004-152


“Guide to Local Government Units in the Localization of the MDGs” dated Novem-ber 2004, which provides for the: (a) menu of Programs, Projects and Activities (PPAs) per MDG goal and target to guide LGUs in responding to the MDGs; (b) diagnosis of the local situation using existing local indicators and monitoring system; and (c) call for documentation and replication of good practices.

The CBMS that is being implemented in the Philippines is indeed well-positioned to track progress toward the attainment of the MDGs at the local level. For one, a number of indicators being monitored in the CBMS are included in the indicators for monitor-ing the progress in achieving the MDGs. Moreover, CBMS is intended to be done on a regular basis and can therefore be used for updating MDG indicators and facilitat-ing preparation of regular MDG reports. The CBMS can also be used as basis by national and local governments for costing and identifying appropriate interventions needed to achieve the MDGs as well as for resource allocation. Finally, given the large spatial disparities, the CBMS can help identify where focus has to be given to achieve the targets.

The CBMS’ role in localizing the MDGs was recognized during an Experts Group Meeting on Localizing the MDGs held on November 28, 2006 at the United Na-tions Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN ESCAP) in Bangkok, Thailand. The Committee on Poverty Reduction composed of 24 na-tion-states agreed that the CBMS could complement the official data collection activities of national statistical offices and improve the availability of the MDG

and other indicators at the local level. It also agreed that localizing the MDGs through CBMS would help integrate the goals into the national development strategies. It therefore urged other de-veloping countries to initiate and imple-ment s imi lar innovat ive systems that would help localize the MDGs.

As of May 12, 2010, CBMS is being im-plemented in 59 provinces (32 of which are province-wide), 687 municipalities and 43 cities in the Philippines, cover-ing 17,848 barangays all over the coun-try (see Figure 27). A good number of these LGUs have already consolidated their CBMS databases and are well-positioned to generate their own local MDG Reports. For one thing, CBMS col-lects information that reflects the multi-faceted nature of poverty. In addition, data generated by the CBMS can be broken down by municipal, barangay, purok and even down to the household level, thereby presenting meaningful in-formation and enabling deeper analysis of the poverty situation. Moreover, the CBMS can generate color-coded maps showing the poverty status at each geo-political level.

2. Objectives

This technical collaboration aims to ca-pacitate nine provincial governments to systematically measure, monitor and report their status with respect to the MDGs. The operative word here is status since the prov-inces used their first round of CBMS data in formulating this report. These provinces include Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Biliran, Camarines Norte, Eastern Samar, Marinduque, Romblon, Sarangani and


Figure 25. CBMS Coverage in the Philippines (as of May 12, 2010)

Siquijor. The abovementioned provinces were selected since they were among the first LGUs that were able to consolidate their CBMS databases at the provincial level. The CBMS Census was conducted in these provinces between 2005 and 2007 (for detailed information on census years, see Table 56).

In particular, the technical collaboration was carried out to meet the following objectives:

( i) to track the status on the attain-ment of the MDGs in the ident i f ied provinces; ( i i) to assist these provinc-es in preparing their Provincial MDG Repor ts ; and ( i i i ) to inc rease loca l awareness on how these reports can

bridge local and national development strategies.

3. Expected Technical Collaboration Outputs

The project is expected to produce the following outputs: (i) mentored technical staff of the nine CBMS-partner provinces on how to prepare Provincial MDG Reports, and (ii) Provincial MDG Reports of the nine provinces.

4. Capacity-Building

The capacity-building of the Provincial MDG Teams consists of three workshops and one-on-one mentoring process.


Processing of CBMS Data to Generate MDG Indicators. This 2-day activity was designed to provide participants with: (i) a deeper appreciation of the importance of the CBMS in benchmarking/tracking local progress toward the attainment of the MDGs; (ii) a satisfactory level of knowledge in process-ing CBMS data to facilitate analyses of accomplishments versus targets; (iii) some basic skills on how to incorporate MDG targets in local development plans and fa-cilitate corresponding increase in budget allocation for MDG-responsive PPAs; and (iv) tools and methodologies in formulating MDG reports.

Preparation of Provincial MDG Reports Using CBMS Data. This 2-day activity was designed to build on the gains of the first workshop by providing techni-cal assistance to the Project Teams in (i) processing CBMS data to generate the additional MDG indicators and consoli-dating their data at the provincial level, (ii) benchmarking/tracking their progress toward the attainment of the MDGs , (iii) reviewing partial provincial reports based on the indicators generated using the first workshop, and (iv) finalizing list of indica-tors to be included in the report.

Presentation and Critiquing of Provin-cial MDG Reports. This 3-day activity was designed to finalize the Provincial MDG Reports and at the same time provide an opportunity for an exchange of views and possible harmonization of approaches as well as for the provision of consistent guid-ance to all the Provincial MDG Teams. The

expected output from this workshop was the complete manuscript of the MDG Report which already incorporates the comments/inputs of the assigned mentor and resource persons who were invited to share their ex-pertise during the workshop.

Mentor/Mentee Relationship. In order to ensure a sustained and focused mentoring program, a mentor from the Research Team of the CBMS Network was matched to one Provincial MDG Team.

The assigned mentor was expected to set a specific time each week to interact with his/her Provincial MDG Team and discuss the following: (1) review progress in drafting the Provincial MDG Report, (2) set/identify targets for the coming weeks, and (3) draw up an action plan to achieve those targets. In addition, the mentor was expected to assist his/her assigned MDG Team in identifying and solving problem areas.

Meanwhile, Dr. Celia M. Reyes, Anne Bernadette E. Mandap and Marsmath A. Baris, Jr. reviewed all partial and final re-ports. The technical staff of the NEDA Social Development Staff headed by Director Er-linda Capones also reviewed and provided valuable comments on the reports.

B. CBMS-MDG Indicators

Unless otherwise indicated, all the statisti-cal tables, graphs, charts and poverty maps presented in this report were generated us-ing the CBMS methodology.


The CBMS is an organized way of col-lecting data at the local level to be used by local governments, national government agencies, nongovernment organizations (NGOs) and civil society for planning, budgeting, and implementing local devel-opment programs as well as for monitor-ing and evaluating their performance. It is a tool for improved local governance and democratic decision-making that promotes greater transparency and accountability in resource allocation.

It involves the following steps:Step 1 – Advocacy/organizationStep 2 – Data collection and fi eld editingStep 3 – Data encoding and map digitizationStep 4 – Data consolidation, database-building

& poverty mappingStep 5 – Data validation and community con-

sultationStep 6 – Knowledge (database) managementStep 7 – Plan formulationStep 8 – Dissemination, implementation, and

monitoring

The MDG Indicators, which were esti-mated using CBMS data, are presented in Table 44.

Box 1. Community-Based Monitoring System


Table 44. The CBMS-MDG Indicators and their Definition



C. Poverty and Food Thresholds

Official poverty thresholds computed by the NSCB were used and, in some cases, updated to the reference period for the CBMS data by inflating these thresholds using the appropriate Con-sumer Price Index (CPI). The poverty and food thresholds used for each province are presented in Table 56.

D. Authority for the CBMS Census

The NSCB has issued Resolution No. 6 (2005) which recognizes and enjoins sup-port to the CBMS as a tool for strengthen-ing the statistical system at the local level. It also directs the NSCB Technical Staff to initiate and coordinate an advocacy program for the adoption of the CBMS by the LGUs, through the Regional Statisti-


Table 45. Poverty and Food Thresholds

cal Coordination Committees (RSCCs), the technical arm of the NSCB Executive Board in the regions.

The NSCB has also approved the CBMS Survey Instruments through NSCB Approval No. DILG-0903-01.

E. Survey Operations

All survey operations were undertaken under the supervision of the CBMS Tech-nical Working Groups (TWGs) at the Provincial and Municipal Levels. They identified the local personnel who were trained as enumerators and field supervi-sors. Technical assistance was provided by the PEP-CBMS Network Coordinating Team, the Bureau of Local Government Development (BLGD) and Regional Of-fice IV-B of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC), Na-

tional Economic and Development Au-thority (NEDA) Regional Office IV-B and the Institute for Democratic Participation in Governance (IDPG).

Training was mainly conducted at two lev-els. The first level training (Training of Train-ors) is conducted for members of the TWGs. This is usually conducted by members of the research staff of the CBMS Network and CBMS accredited trainors from the DILG, NAPC and NEDA. Meanwhile, a second level training (Training of Enumerators) is conducted for enumerators who are usually composed of barangay health workers and students. The members of the TWG acted as trainors in this training.

F. Data Processing System

The data processing software used under this project includes the CBMS Data Encod-ing System, the CBMS-Natural Resources Database and Stata.


The CBMS encoding system uses CSPro (Census and Survey Processing), a software developed by the United States Bureau of Census for entering, editing, tabulating, and disseminating data from censuses and surveys. The CSPro-based (Census and Survey Processing) Encoding System converts survey data into electronic data. It produces text files (ASCII) described by data dictionaries, which adds flexibility to the output data. This feature facilitates the interface between the CBMS data and other database systems and statistical softwares.

The CBMS Mapping system employs the Natural Resources Database (NRDB) for CBMS-based poverty mapping and for storing and displaying household- and indi-vidual- level information, The CBMS-NRDB is capable of creating and storing spatial (shapefiles) and non-spatial (texts and numbers) data as well as generating maps, reports and graphs ideal for presentation and analysis of poverty attributes in the community. This has significantly addressed the need for a simple yet powerful and free geographically-oriented database.

Meanwhile, the CBMS data presented in this report through tables, graphs, charts and poverty maps were processed using Stata, a general-purpose statistical soft-ware package created in 1985 by Stata-Corp.

These softwares were provided for free to the 9 provinces which formulated their reports under this project.

G. CBMS Poverty Maps

The poverty map for each indicator shows the provincial map disaggregated by municipality.

A simple color scheme is used (green, light green, pink and red) to represent the four ranges of data for each indicator. Each indi-cator, however, used a different range rela-tive to the provincial data.

H. Limitations of the Data

While observations are taken from the entire population, the user of the data pre-sented in this report should bear in mind that the municipalities in two provinces (Eastern Samar and Biliran) were not able to col-lect their data over the same period. For instance, CBMS was piloted in a number of municipalities in Eastern Samar and Biliran in 2005 and was implemented provincewide in 2006. Moreover, due to some diffi culties, the CBMS census could not be carried out in 1 barangay in Romblon, and 2 barangays each in Camarines Norte and Eastern Samar. Moreover, data from a number of barangays in Sarangani are still not available.

Estimates on poverty and subsistence inci-dence may also be affected by under- and/or over-reporting of income or reluctance on the part of the respondents to reveal their true levels of income. As in other surveys, the CBMS enumerators may also have en-countered interview non-response and item non-response.

Available in this series:

NATIONAL REPORT

• Philippines Progress Report on the Millennium Development Goals 2010

PROVINCIAL REPORTS

•Status Report on the Millennium Development Goals Using CBMS Data Province of Agusan del Norte

•Status Report on the Millennium Development Goals Using CBMS Data Province of Agusan del Sur

•Status Report on the Millennium Development Goals Using CBMS Data Province of Biliran

•Status Report on the Millennium Development Goals Using CBMS Data Province of Camarines Norte

•Status Report on the Millennium Development Goals Using CBMS Data Province of Eastern Samar

•Status Report on the Millennium Development Goals Using CBMS Data Province of Marinduque

• Status Report on the Millennium Development Goals Using CBMS Data Province of Romblon

•Status Report on the Millennium Development Goals Using CBMS Data Province of Siquijor

•Status Report on the Millennium Development Goals Using CBMS Data Province of Sarangani

mdgs provincial status report 2010 philippines biliran

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