Former President Rodrigo Duterte’s recent arrest by the International Criminal Court (ICC) has reignited discussions about his legacy, particularly among his supporters.

During a CNN interview, political analyst Richard Heydarian made a controversial statement about regional disparities in terms of Human Development Index in the Philippines.

“I come from the north of the country where our Human Development Index is almost Southern Europe. But if you go to Mindanao there, Human Development Index is Sub-Saharan African level,” he said.

His remark quickly drew backlash from netizens, especially those from Mindanao, who questioned its accuracy and fairness.

What is the Human Development Index?

The Human Development Index (HDI) is a composite measure developed by the United Nations to assess a country or region’s development based on three dimensions: health, education, and standard of living.

HDI scores range from 0 to 1 and are categorized into:

1. Very High (0.8–1.0)
2. High (0.7–0.79)
3. Medium (0.55–0.69)
4. Low (below 0.55)

Philippines’ Human Development Index

The Philippines’ current national HDI stands at 0.710, placing it in the “High” category according to 2022 data.

However, significant regional disparities exist. Northern regions such as the National Capital Region (NCR) and Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) boast HDIs of 0.743 and 0.738, respectively, comparable to higher-income nations.

Meanwhile, Mindanao’s regions have more varied HDI levels:

• Northern Mindanao: 0.712 (High)
• Davao Region: 0.708 (High)
• Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM): 0.629 (Medium)

Heydarian’s claim that Mindanao’s HDI is comparable to Sub-Saharan Africa is inaccurate when examined against global data.

Sub-Saharan African nations generally fall into the “Low” HDI category, with scores below 0.55—far lower than BARMM’s 0.629, which is classified as “Medium.” While BARMM has the lowest HDI among Philippine regions, it still surpasses many Sub-Saharan countries in terms of health, education, and income indicators.

Netizens from Mindanao criticized Heydarian for perpetuating stereotypes about their region, arguing that while challenges remain, Mindanao has made strides in improving living standards over the years.

For instance, Northern Mindanao and Davao Region have achieved “High” HDI levels, reflecting progress in education access and economic growth. 

While disparities between northern regions and parts of Mindanao persist, no Philippine region falls into the “Low” HDI category.

Sources: (1), (2), (3), (4)

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