Poverty can't be wiped out within PNoy's term but his administration is determined to reduce the number of poor families while in office. Pres. Spokesperson Lacierda made the remarks amid the reported wide gap between the rich and the poor despite the country's strong economic growth. While recent polls showed the rising poverty in the country, at least 10 Pilipino Tycoons recently landed in Forbes Magazine's latest of top 100 Billionaires in the world. Under the revised economic plan the government aims to reduce the poverty to 16.6% and unemployment to 6.5% when PNoy steps down from office in 2016. Lacierda said the government has categorized provinces with high poverty incidence and laid down the corresponding intervention measures to improve their situation. NEDA had earlier said Category 1 provinces have very high numbers of the poor although the incidence of poverty is not very high Sec. Balisacan of NEDA said the government plans to improve the skill sets of the poorest families, implement more aggressive employment facilitation for better job skills match in Zamboanga del Sur, Cebu, Pangasinan, Negros Occidental, Camarines Sur, Leyte, Ilo-ilo, Sulu, Quezon and Davao del Sur. Category 2 provinces are places that are being left out of the growth process altogether and have a very high proportion of the population who are poor. These are Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Eastern Samar, Apayao, Zamboanga del Norte, Camiguin, Saranggani, North Cotabato, Masbate and Northern Samar. Among the government anti-poverty measures in Category 2 provinces are provisions of basic social services and increase of small agriculture based business. Category 3 or areas that are exposed and prone to multiple hazards, such as landslides and flooding. These are Abra, Agusan del Sur, Albay, Antique, Aurora, Benguet, Bohol, Cagayan, Catanduanes, Cavite, Dinagat Islands, Eastern Samar, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Ilo-ilo, Isabela, Laguna, Leyte, Northern Samar, Nueva Vizcaya, Pampanga, Quezon, Quirino, Rizal, Southern Leyte, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Zambales, Zamboanga del Sur and Zamboanga Sibugay.
