Poverty among families in Sorsogon dropped to 15.1 percent in 2025 from 28.4 percent in 2023, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), marking a significant decline attributed to the long-term impact of infrastructure and policy reforms implemented by Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero during his tenure as provincial governor.
Escudero, who served as governor from 2019 to 2022, welcomed the province’s progress under the current provincial administration but called for stronger livelihood programs, greater support for cooperatives, and expanded social protection to help more families rise above poverty.
He also credited Sorsogon Governor Boboy Hamor for continuing and improving the reforms initiated by his predecessor.
“I commend Governor Boboy Hamor and the provincial government for building on these gains and expanding the initiatives we started, especially those that support farmers, fisherfolk, and small entrepreneurs. I’m pleased that the reforms we worked on are now bearing fruit. The challenge now is continuity,” Escudero said.
For his part, Hamor recognized Escudero’s role in laying the groundwork for the province’s development, citing infrastructure projects, investments in healthcare, and peace initiatives as foundations for economic recovery.
“We are reaping the benefits of reforms that started years ago, and we will continue to strengthen programs that uplift Sorsoganons,” Hamor said.
According to the PSA, the nearly 50-percent decline in family poverty translated to a decrease in the number of poor families to 32,000 in 2025 from 53,400 in 2023.
The agency also reported last month that the poverty incidence among individuals in Sorsogon fell to 21.8 percent from 37.9 percent over the same period.