A recent Social Weather Stations survey shows that fifty percent of Filipino families consider themselves poor. The poll, conducted from September 24 to 30, indicates a slight rise from the previous quarter. It also reveals regional variations in self-rated poverty and food poverty.
According to Social Weather Stations Inc. (SWS), fifty percent of Filipino families rate themselves as poor in a survey conducted from September 24 to 30. This marks a slip from 49 percent in June, translating to around 14.2 million families, up from 13.7 million previously.
Meanwhile, 38 percent considered their families as “not poor,” down from 41 percent in June. The remaining 12 percent said they were on the borderline, up from 10 percent.
Across areas, self-rated poverty was highest in Mindanao at 69 percent (similar to the previous survey), followed by the Visayas at 54 percent (from 60 percent), Metro Manila at 43 percent (from 36 percent), and the rest of Luzon at 42 percent (from 38 percent).
The survey also found that 41 percent identified their families as “food poor,” similar to June. Those rating as “not food-poor” decreased to 47 percent from 49 percent, while “borderline food poor” rose to 11 percent from 10 percent.
Self-rated food poverty was highest in Mindanao at 61 percent (from 60 percent), followed by the Visayas at 40 percent (from 44 percent), Metro Manila at 35 percent (from 31 percent), and the rest of Luzon at 33 percent (from 34 percent). This poll provides key insights into economic perceptions across the Philippines.