Stitching Progress Together, Safeguarding Equity
Surabaya (ANTARA) – The 81st anniversary of East Java Province on 12 October 2026 is an occasion to take pride in its development over the years, while also considering the unfinished challenges ahead.
At Grahadi State Building in Surabaya, the theme “East Java: Excellent, Advancing Sustainably” sets out the direction of development. But the theme’s meaning cannot be measured merely by the festivities, lists of awards or economic growth figures.
A more fundamental measure is the way people’s lives are changing: from farmers earning a decent income and children in outlying areas receiving a quality education, to vulnerable families finding it easier to access healthcare.
East Java has considerable development assets. The province is a strategic centre for industry, trade, agriculture and the distribution of goods, and is important to the national economy.
The challenge is not merely to maintain that position, but to ensure that economic strength produces increasingly equitable welfare.
At 81, East Java’s task is to stitch growth together with social justice, so that progress is not only visible from afar but also felt in people’s everyday lives.
The figures behind people’s lives
East Java’s economy grew by 5.33 per cent in 2025, with gross regional domestic product at current prices reaching Rp3,403.17 trillion. Manufacturing accounted for 31.32 per cent of the province’s economic structure. These figures illustrate East Java’s substantial production capacity and economic appeal.
Agricultural output also strengthened. Rice production in 2025 reached 10.44 million tonnes of dry milled paddy, up 12.60 per cent on the previous year. East Java contributed around 17.34 per cent of national rice production, reinforcing its position as one of Indonesia’s food-security pillars.
Nevertheless, economic performance needs to be considered alongside social conditions. Statistics Indonesia (BPS) recorded a poverty rate of 9.06 per cent in East Java in March 2026, down from 9.50 per cent in March 2025.
The number of people living in poverty in March 2026 was still 3.712 million. Meanwhile, extreme poverty stood at 0.29 per cent in 2025, meaning that achieving the target of reducing it to zero will require more focused interventions.
The fall in the poverty rate is welcome, but the number of people still living below the poverty line shows that the work is not done. Behind the figures are families having to divide their income between food, education, housing and healthcare.
For that reason, development should not be judged solely by an increase in production. It should also be measured by people’s ability to meet their basic needs without relying continuously on assistance.
Another concern is the quality of employment. BPS recorded East Java’s open unemployment rate at 3.55 per cent in February 2026, down 0.06 percentage points from February 2025.
However, the share of people in formal employment fell to 35.56 per cent, a decrease of 0.53 percentage points over the same period.
This is a reminder that lower unemployment does not automatically mean more people have jobs that offer reliable incomes, social protection and career prospects.
Industrial growth and investment need to be linked to the creation of decent jobs, improvements in workers’ skills and stronger micro, small and medium-sized enterprises. Without those connections, the economy may continue to grow while some people remain in precarious work.
Centre and periphery