SWS: Poverty hits record high in 4th quarter

The number of Filipinos who consider themselves poor increased in the fourth quarter of 2019, a record high since President Duterte took office, results of the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey showed. Self-rated poverty among Filipinos rose by 12 percent from 42 percent in September last year to 54 percent in December, the highest recorded self-rated poverty since the 55 percent in September 2014.

The survey, conducted from Dec. 13 to 16 last year, found that the estimated number of self-rated poor families rose from 10.3 million in September to 13.1 million in December.

Self-rated poverty increased across all areas. Families that rated themselves poor rose to 41 percent from the previous quarter’s 25 percent in Metro Manila; 47 percent from 34 percent in Luzon outside Metro Manila; 64 percent from 53 percent in Mindanao; and 67 percent from 59 percent in the Visayas.

Out of the 54 percent self-rated poor families, 7 percent are “newly poor” or were not poor a few years ago, another 7 percent are “usually poor” or were not poor five or more years ago. The remaining 40 percent are “always poor,” those who have always been poor.This translates to 1.6 million “newly poor” families, 1.8 million “usually poor,” and 9.7 million “always poor.”

Also ‘food-poor’

The SWS also found that 35 percent of Filipino families consider themselves “food-poor,” up by six points from the 29 percent “food-poor” in September. The food poverty ratings also increased in all areas. Filipinos who rated themselves food-poor rose to 50 percent from the previous quarter’s 36 percent in Mindanao; 46 percent from 42 percent in the Visayas; 27 percent from 16 percent in Metro Manila; and 25 percent from 24 percent in Luzon outside Metro Manila.

The full-year self-rated poverty averaged 45 percent in 2019, three points down from 48 percent in 2018, while the full-year self-rated food poverty averaged 31 percent last year, two points down from 33 percent in 2018.The noncommissioned survey conducted face-to-face interviews with 1,200 adults and had a margin of error of plus-or-minus 3 percent for national percentages, and plus-or-minus 6 percent each for Metro Manila, Balance of Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao.—INQUIRER RESEARCH