MANILA (November 1) – Half of Filipino families still consider themselves poor, according to the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey, underscoring the continuing struggles of many households despite signs of economic recovery.
The survey, conducted from September 24 to 30, found that 50% of Filipino families—equivalent to about 14.2 million households—rated themselves poor. This is a one-point increase from June’s 49% or roughly 13.7 million families.
Another 12% of respondents said they were on the borderline, while 38% did not consider themselves poor, a slight drop from 41% in June.
Regional Shifts
The uptick in self-rated poverty was influenced by regional movements:
- Metro Manila: 43% (up from 36%)
- Balance Luzon: 42% (up from 38%)
- Visayas: 54% (down from 60%)
- Mindanao: 69% (unchanged)
Mindanao continues to record the highest level of self-rated poverty, with nearly seven in ten families identifying as poor.
The SWS also noted that 5.7% of Filipino families are “newly poor” — households that did not see themselves as poor one to four years ago but now do.
Food Poverty Unchanged
Self-rated food poverty — families who say they cannot afford enough food — stayed at 41%, unchanged since April. Ten percent said they were borderline food poor, while 47% did not consider themselves food poor.
Across regions, food poverty rates were highest in Mindanao (61%), followed by Visayas (40%), Metro Manila (35%), and Balance Luzon (34%).
The SWS used face-to-face interviews with 1,500 adults nationwide, including 300 each from Metro Manila, Visayas, and Mindanao, and 600 from Balance Luzon. The survey has a ±3% national margin of error.
Despite modest economic gains, the findings highlight how many Filipino families continue to feel left behind in the country’s post-pandemic recovery.
