How the Sugar Industry Continues to Create Poverty in Negros
The province of Negros Occidental is the 6th wealthiest province in terms of gross income in the country only behind Cebu, Batangas, Rizal, Davao de Oro, and Bukidnon. The island of Negros is known for its sugarcane production which accounts for 63% of the country's sugar output.
Bacolod, the capital city of Negros Occidental and the largest city in Western Visayas, is a highly-urbanized city, and poverty is hardly seen due to skyscrapers and luxurious subdivisions.
One might think that the people in the province are living comfortably due to the "riches of sugarcane", but behind the sugar wealth, the island is also having many of the poorest populations.
In 2015, the national poverty incidence was 16.5% of families, while it was 38.7% in Negros Oriental and 21.9% in Negros Occident...