Pages

Monday, October 03, 2011

QUEZON PROVINCE: A HUMAN DEVELOPMENT DATA

QUEZON PROVINCE: A HUMAN DEVELOPMENT DATA


Recently I was given a copy of the Philippine Human Development Report 2008/2009. The book was published by the Human Development Network and the UN Development Programme. The analysis and perspectives brings an in depth analysis of Human Development of Philippine provinces.

I made an extract of the report focusing on Quezon Province to benefit the students, researchers, faculty, Quezonians and friends of Quezon Province. The data will bring you enlightenment as well as righteous anger. I will be remiss on my civic duty if I will not inform you on what is happening in Quezon Province. It is but proper first to give thanks to the Human Development Network headed by Arsenio M. Balisacan for the data. Though their research was dated 2006 the relevance is unquestionable. 

NOW HERE ARE THE HUMAN DEVELOPMENT DATA OF QUEZON PROVINCE

I. LIFE EXPECTANCY

A long and healthy life is proxied by achievements in life expectancy at birth.
The average Quezonians are expected to live 67.5 years.
The longest among Filipinos are those born in la Union who are expected to live 74.6 years while those born in Tawi-Tawin have the shortest at 53.4 years old.

II. KNOWLEDGE
The knowledge are measured as a weighted average of the high school graduate ratio and the basic education enrollment rate.
Quezon province high school graduate ratio is only 48%. Fellow CALABARZON province Cavite has 73.7% while Laguna has 72.5%. The percentage shows that there is a high dropped out rate in Quezon Province.

STANDARD OF LIVING

III. PER CAPITA INCOME.
The per capita income in Quezon Province is P16,827. Fellow CALABARZON, Laguna is P30,838, Batangas is P23,465.


IV. HUMAN DEVELOPMENT INDEX
In a summary the measure of human development that seeks to measure the average achievement are in three basic dimensions of human development: a long and healthy life, knowledge and a decent standard of living. Quezon was ranked number 58 out of 77 provinces. Let us see the comparative data:
Rank   Province
2         Rizal
3        Cavite
5        Laguna
15      Batangas
58      Quezon

If Quezon Province was a country, how would it fare against other countries in Human Development Index?
HDI     Province/Country
0.684   Quezon
0.684    Tajikistan
0.670    South Africa
0.646    Morocco
0.634    Namibia

Human Poverty Index

Poverty incidence is a general measure of well being. It is defined as the proportion whose income falls below a specified poverty line. The poverty line is the amount of money just sufficient to meet a person’s most basic food and nonfood needs.

RECORDED HISTORY OF POVERTY INCIDENCE IN QUEZON PROVINCE
Year       %
2006     43.7
2003     32.3
2000     28.6
1997     30.3

From the above record, it is very clear that the incidence of poverty in Quezon Province is on upward trajectory. This only means that 43.7% of Quezonians are having difficulty of meeting his most basic food and nonfood needs.

Now let us compare the data with our neighbor, Batangas.

RECORDED HISTORY OF POVERTY INCIDENCE IN BATANGAS PROVINCE
Year     %
2006    23.3
2003    25.6
2000    14.9
1997    17.4

Though the poverty index is also increasing in Batangas, the 23.3% is still much lower to Quezon’s 43.7%..

Conclusions:

Quezonians born in 2006 are expected to live 67.5 years.

In terms of Human Development Index, Quezon Province is ranked number 58 in the country, the lowest in CALABARZON. Laguna is number 5 while Batangas is 15.

Our per capita income is the lowest in the CALABARZON contributing to the highest poverty Incidence of 43.7%. Laguna has 9% incidence while Batangas has 23.3%.

Our Human Development Index is comparable to Tajikistan.

The people of Quezon Province is on a downward slide in terms of income and upward swing in terms of poverty, It is time for the Quezonians to help the province in every way and anyway they can. We are just a statistics away from Namibia.

Arnel L. Cadeliña
nelcadelina.blogspot.com

No comments:

Post a Comment