<P> At the regional level, NCR, CALABARZON and Central Luzon had the lowest poverty incidence in the country during 2006, 2009, and 2012 . ARMM remained the poorest region with the highest poverty incidence, which ranged from 40 to 49% in 2006, 2009, and 2012 . </P> <P> At the provincial level, the group of provinces with the least poverty incidence are the four districts of NCR, Bataan, Benguet, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, Pampanga, Rizal, and Ilocos Norte . The group with the highest poverty are Eastern Samar, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Masbate, Northern Samar, Sarangani, Zamboanga del Norte, Camiguin, Lanao del Norte, North Cotabato, and Western Samar . </P> <P> In general, one out of every five families were poor in 2012 . The ratio of poor families remained the same from 2006, but due to population increase, the number rose from 3.8 million in 2006 to 4.2 million in 2012 . Furthermore, one out of 10 families couldn't meet their basic food needs . Nevertheless, the estimated number of poor families remained steady at around 1.6 million . </P> <P> The map above shows the poverty incidence in the country . This is the number of households living below the poverty threshold . It can be seen that the provinces of Apayao, Eastern Samar, Lanao del Sur, and Maguindanao have incidences higher than 60% . In Mindanao, apart from Lanao del Sur and Maguindanao, the rest of the region's provinces have indices that are 60% or lower . In Visayas, the western part contains most of the provinces with lower than 30% incidence, while the eastern part mostly has lower than 60% incidence . Luzon has the least number of provinces with higher than 30% incidence . This may be attributed to their relative ease of trade with the capital . </P>

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