📷Manila Today
IN what appears to be an effort to save the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) from public condemnation, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) came out with a statement blaming the current methodology used by the government in setting a food poverty ceiling.
By its own admission, PSA said that P64 per day isn’t enough to feed an individual, adding that the current methodology in setting a food poverty ceiling is under review.
“There is a review process na ginagawa and as I said we have already initiated sa technical staff ng PSA ‘yung pag-review ng ating, una, ‘yung ating methodology, ‘yung sa menu,” National Statistician Claire Dennis Mapa said.
Previously, the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) said in a Senate hearing, that as of 2023, the monthly food threshold for a family of five is P9,581 or roughly P64 per person per day.
Food threshold refers to the minimum income required for a family or individual to meet the basic food needs, “which satisfies the nutritional requirements for economically necessary and socially desirable physical activities.“
This is also referred to as the subsistence threshold or the “food poverty line.”
Mapa explained that the food threshold was based on sample food bundles (covering breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack), which can provide basic nutritional needs, prepared by nutritionists.
Sample food bundles, he added, must meet the required nutrition – 100% energy, 123% protein , 119% calcium, 80% iron, 131% Vitamin A, 88% Thiamin, 80% Riboflavin, 249% niacin, and 106% Vitamin C.
“That’s how the bundle was arrived at… in other words, there’s science to it,” Mapa added. He further noted that the computation was based on an assumption that meals were to be prepared at home.
Interestingly, Mapa admitted that the threshold is insufficient – “talagang sa tingin natin talaga insufficient ito… I agree, this is really basic ‘yung P64 per day. Most probably a lot of people won’t be happy about it.” he averred.
