SWS: Self-rated poverty rises in NCR, Luzon; more say they are ‘food-poor’

INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines–Filipino families who said they were poor numbered around 12.1 million in September, according to the latest Social Weather Stations poll.

Self-rated poverty for the third quarter of 2014 remained at 55 percent, the same in June, the survey, showed.

Conducted from September 26 to 29 among 1,200 respondents, it posted a slight increase when it comes to families who said they eat food for the poor. Among the respondents, 43 percent, or an estimated 9.3 million families, said they were “food-poor,” from only 41 percent in the second quarter of the year.

While self-rated poverty fell by 10 points (from 71 percent in June to 61 percent in September) in Mindanao and by nine points (from 74 percent to 65 percent) in Visayas, it increased by six points (from 37 percent to 43 percent) in Metro Manila and by seven points (from 45 percent to 52 percent) for the rest of Luzon.

This was also reflected in self-rated food poverty, which increased by three points (from 27 percent to 30 percent) in Metro Manila and five points (from 32 percent to 37 percent) in Balance Luzon. Food-poor families remained almost the same for Visayas, down by one point (from 54 percent to 53 percent). Mindanao’s self-rated poverty, on the other hand, decreased by three points from 55 percent in June to 52 percent in September.

SWS said that the monthly budget needed for a family not to be considered poor has increased in Metro Manila (from a median of P12,000 in June to P15,000 in September). It dropped in Visayas (from P10,000 in March to P8,000 in September) but stayed at P10,000 for both Mindanao and Balance Luzon.

The survey has sampling error margins of ±3% for national percentages, ±6% each for Metro Manila, Balance Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.

Respondents, who are heads of the household, were asked “Where would you place your family in this card?” after being presented with showcard with the choices “Not poor,” “On the line” and “Poor.”

For self-rated food poverty, they were shown a similar showcard and asked “Based on the type of food eaten by your family, where would you place your family on this card?”

SWS determined the poverty threshold by asking those who said they were poor, “In your opinion, how much money would your family need for home expenses each month in order not to be called poor anymore? This excludes work-related expenses like transportation.”

Those who said they were food-poor were also asked about the food poverty threshold with the question, “In your opinion, how much money would your family need for food expenses each month in order not to be called poor anymore in terms of food?”

RELATED STORIES

Self-rated poverty up in Visayas, Mindanao–SWS

The will to measure poverty