SWS: Self-rated poverty slightly up in Q3

Manila, Philippines — The proportion of Filipino families considering themselves poor slightly rose in the third quarter of the year, according to a Social Weather Stations survey that also shows rising poverty perception in Metro Manila and areas in Luzon outside the capital.

SWS found the ranks self-rated poor families edging up three points in the July to September period to 47 percent from the preceding quarter’s 44 percent.

The poll, which was conducted on September 23 to 27 via face-to-face interviews of 1,500 adults, has sampling error margins of ±2.5% for national percentages, ±4% for Balance Luzon, and ±6% each for Metro Manila, Visayas, and Mindanao.

SWS attributed the three-point rise in self-rated poverty to sharp increment in Balance Luzon and a slight surge in Metro Manila, which were offset by significant decreases in Mindanao and Visayas.

The proportion of self-rated poor families sharply increased in December 2016 to March 2017, bucking a previous trend that saw self-rated poverty declining for nine consecutive quarters from the fourth quarter of 2014 to last three months of 2016.

Three-fourths of poverty-stricken families said they have always been poor while one-fourth of them said they were not poor sometime in the past.

On the other hand, half of self-rated non-poor families, or 25 percent of families overall, said they have never been poor.

In terms of transportation cost, SWS revealed that Filipino households spend a median of P1,000 on monthly transportation.

In order not to be considered poor, respondents in Metro Manila said they need a minimum monthly budget of P15,000 while those in Balance Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao said they need P10,000.

‘Food-poor’ steadies

Meanwhile, the September survey also reported 32 percent of families qualifying their food as poor, termed by the pollster as “food-poor.” That was similar to the 32 percent clocked in the June poll but below the 35 percent in the March reading.

The polling group said the steady self-rated food poverty was due to spikes recorded in Metro Manila and Balance Luzon that were cushioned by slumps in Mindanao and Visayas.

“Prior to this, Self-Rated Food-Poverty averaged 31% in 2016 and 35% in 2015,” SWS said.

According to SWS, Filipino families in Metro Manila need a minimum monthly budget of P8,000 in order not to consider their food as poor. Those in Balance Luzon require P6,000 while Filipino households in Visayas and Mindanao need P5,000.

In the past, SWS said “the poorer half of the poor lack half the amount of money they need to survive.”