Self-rated poverty rises to 11.1 M — SWS

After decreasing to a record-low 9.5 million in March, the number of Filipinos who consider themselves as poor has increased to 11.1 million in the second quarter survey conducted by Social Weather Stations (SWS).

The survey, conducted from June 22 to 26 with the results released yesterday, showed that 45 percent of the respondents consider their families as poor.

This translates to around 11.1 million families, up by almost two million from the 38 percent or 9.5 million Filipino families who rated themselves as poor in the first quarter survey conducted in March.

SWS said the seven-point increase was mainly due to increases in Mindanao, Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon.

Self-rated poverty rose by 19 points among respondents in Mindanao, from 37 percent in March to 56 percent in June.

It also increased by five points in Luzon, from 35 percent to 40 percent, and three points in Metro Manila, from 28 percent to 31 percent.

It stayed at 55 percent among respondents in the Visayas.

Food-poor

Meanwhile, SWS found that the number of Filipinos who said that their families are “food-poor” – or those who rated themselves as poor based on the food that they eat – also increased by eight points in June.

From the record-low 27 percent or 6.8 million families, the latest survey showed that 35 percent or an estimated 8.5 million families said they are “food-poor.”

Results showed that the eightpoint increase was due to increases of 20 points in Mindanao (from 27 percent to 47 percent), six points in Luzon (from 24 percent to 30 percent) and three points in Metro Manila (from 19 percent to 22 percent).

Meanwhile, self-rated food poverty decreased in the Visayas from 42 percent to 39 percent.

Poverty threshold

According to SWS, the selfrated poverty threshold or the amount needed by poor families for them not to be poor has increased to P15,000 from P10,000 in March.

Meanwhile, the amount needed by families in order for their food not be considered poor has increased to P6,000 from P5,000 per month.

The survey also showed that out of the families who considered themselves as poor in June, 4.8 percent or about 1.2 million used to be “non-poor” one to four years ago.

Meanwhile, 36.9 percent or about 9.1 million have always considered themselves as poor.

The survey had 1,200 adult respondents and an error margin of +/- three percent for national percentages.