SWS: Self-rated poverty up 53%

MANILA, Philippines - More Filipino families consider themselves poor in the past three months, according to a latest survey by the Social Weather Stations (SWS).

The Third Quarter 2009 SWS survey showed that 53 percent or about 9.7 million families think of themselves as poor, three points higher than the 50 percent (estimated 9.3 million) reported in June.

The non-commissioned survey, conducted from Sept. 18 to 21, also showed that 28 percent of respondents put themselves on the “borderline” (of poverty) and 20 percent consider themselves as “hindi mahirap” or not poor.

The SWS said self-rated poverty has been at levels of 50 percent and above since March 2008, except in February 2009 when it was at 47 percent.

The September survey also found that 41 percent of families or about 7.5 million Filipinos consider themselves as “food-poor,” while 35 percent put themselves on the “food-borderline,” and 24 percent consider themselves as “not food-poor.”

The SWS noted that the Self-Rated Food Poverty rate has steadily risen from 36 percent in February, 39 percent in June, and 41 percent in September this year after declining from 42 percent in December 2008.

The latest survey found that poverty rates declined in Mindanao, but went up in Luzon and the Visayas.

It showed that self-rated poverty declined by five points in Mindanao, from 62 percent in June to 57 percent in September.

However, it rose by seven points in balance Luzon, from 44 percent to 51 percent, and four points in the Visayas, from 56 percent to 60 percent.

It barely changed in Metro Manila, from 42 percent in June to 41 percent in September.

The SWS said Self-Rated Poverty rose slightly by two points in urban areas, from 44 percent to 46 percent, and by one point in rural areas, from 58 percent to 59 percent.

Self-Rated Food Poverty also declined in Mindanao, by four points, from 47 percent in June to 43 percent in September.

It rose by six points in the Visayas, from 42 percent to 48 percent, and by three points in Metro Manila, from 32 percent to 35 percent, and in Luzon, from 35 percent to 38 percent.

Meanwhile, the SWS said that the Self-Rated Poverty Threshold, the monthly budget that poor households need in order not to consider themselves poor in general, remains sluggish for several years despite considerable inflation.

The survey firm said this indicates that poor families have been lowering their living standards or “belt-tightening.”

As of September 2009, the median poverty threshold for poor households rose to P15,000 in Metro Manila, and to P10,000 in balance Luzon. Both amounts, however, have already been reached several times in the past in those areas, the SWS said.

The median poverty thresholds of poor households stayed at P5,000 for those in Mindanao, while it declined from P8,000 to P5,000 in the Visayas.

In both areas, median poverty thresholds had already reached P10,000 in the past.

The median food-poverty thresholds for poor households also rose in Metro Manila, from P5,000 to P6,500, and in Luzon, from P3,000 to P5,000.

It stayed at 3,000 in Mindanao, and declined to P3,000 in the Visayas, which amounts had been reached several years ago.

In Metro Manila in particular, the median poverty threshold of P15,000 is barely above P10,000 as in 2000, even though the Consumer Price Index (CPI) has risen there by over 57 percent since, the SWS said.

The National Capital Region median poverty threshold of P15,000 per month for September 2009 is equivalent to only P9,536 in base year 2000 purchasing power, after deflation by the CPI, the SWS said.