Majority of Pinoys still see selves poor - SWS

MANILA, Philippines — Self-rated poverty has slightly decreased but majority of Filipinos still consider themselves poor, according to the latest survey of the Social Weather Stations (SWS).

The results of the new survey showed that 53 percent of the respondents or about 11.5 million Filipino households claimed that they were poor.

The 2014 first quarter figure decreased from the 55 percent recorded last December, but it was a point higher than the 2013 average.

An estimated 8.5 million families or 39 percent of the respondents also claimed to be poor in terms of food, the survey found out. The figure is down two percentage points from 41 percent last December.

The survey, which was conducted from March 27 to 30, involved face-to-face interviews of 1,200 adult Filipinos who were asked to choose whether their families were poor, not poor or on the line.

They were also asked on how much money would be required for their households not to be considered poor.

The poll used error margins of ±3 for national and ±6 for area percentages.

Regions

Improvements in Metro Manila, the Visayas and Mindanao caused the slight declines in the self-rated poverty and food poverty, the SWS said.

According to the survey, self-rated poverty decreased by nine points in Metro Manila to 37 percent, the lowest since the 35 percent recorded in August 2012.

In the Visayas and Mindanao, self-rated poverty was down to 64 percent and 56 percent, respectively.

Self-rated food poverty also went down in Metro Manila (25 percent), Visayas (40 percent) and Mindanao (46 percent), but in increased in Balance Luzon (39 percent).

The SWS said the March 2014 self-rated poverty rates are higher than their 2013 averages for Balance Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, but lower for Metro Manila.

Food poverty rates, on the other hand, are lower than their 2013 averages for Metro Manila, Visayas and Mindanao, but higher for Balance Luzon.

Poverty threshold

Though self-rated poverty slightly fell, the survey found out that the money families said they need to not consider themselves poor increased.

This so-called self-rated poverty threshold was pegged at P15,000 in Metro Manila and P10,000 each in Balance Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.

The SWS noted that these amounts "are the highest levels ever achieved" in those areas.

Self-rated poverty threshold is defined as the "home expense budget that would satisfy the poorer half of the poor households" and "less than the minimum income that they need" given work-related expenses such as transportation, according to SWS.

The self-rated food poverty threshold also increased to P7,000 in Metro Manila and P5,000 each in Balance Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao.

The SWS said self-rated food poverty threshold is the "monthly food budget that food-poor households need in home expenses in order not to consider themselves food-poor."