13 million families felt poor in 2023 – SWS poll

MANILA, Philippines —  Nearly half or 47 percent of Filipino families rated themselves poor during the last quarter of 2023, hardly moving from 48 percent in September last year in a similar survey conducted by the Social Weather Stations (SWS).

This represents 13 million poor families, compared to 13.2 million in the previous survey.

Based on the survey conducted from Dec. 8 to 11, 2023, respondents who said they were “not poor” decreased to 20 percent from 25 percent, while those who identified as “borderline poor” increased to 33 percent from 27 percent

The latest survey’s result was higher than the 45 percent reported in 2019, before the pandemic.

Respondents who self-rated their families as “not poor” was 21 percent, which is similar to the 2022 average, but dropping below 24 percent in 2019.

The December 2023 survey showed a 10-point drop in self-rated poverty among respondents in Mindanao and a four-point increase in balance Luzon.

It hardly moved in Metro Manila and the Visayas.

Despite the significant drop, self-rated poverty remained highest among respondents in Mindanao at 61 percent (from 71 percent), followed by the Visayas at 58 percent (from 59 percent), balance Luzon at 39 percent (from 35 percent) and Metro Manila at 37 percent (unchanged).

Those who said their families are “not poor” were highest among respondents in Metro Manila at 35 percent (from 33 percent), followed by the rest of Luzon at 27 percent (from 40 percent), the Visayas at seven percent (from eight percent) and Mindanao at six percent (from four percent).

Meanwhile, those who considered their families as “food poor” – or those who rated themselves as poor based on the food they eat – decreased to 32 percent in December from 34 percent in September.

However, the 2023 average of 35 percent was higher than the 33 percent in 2022 and 31 percent from 2019 to 2021.

Those who rated their families “not food poor” in the latest survey also decreased to 26 percent from 31 percent, while those who were “borderline food poor” increased to 41 percent from 35 percent.

Self-rated food poverty was highest among respondents in Mindanao at 43 percent (from 51 percent), followed by the Visayas at 38 percent (from 39 percent), balance Luzon at 40 percent (from 29 percent) and Metro Manila at 37 percent (from 31 percent).

Meanwhile, those who said their families are “not food poor” were highest among respondents in Metro Manila at 40 percent (same as last survey), followed by the rest of Luzon at 33 percent (from 47 percent), the Visayas at 18 percent (same with last survey) and Mindanao at 12 percent (from seven percent).

The survey had 1,200 respondents.