AMID a continuing inflation which translates to higher prices of basic commodities, more and more Filipinos are feeling the crunch of poverty, based on the most recent result of a June survey administered by the Social Weather Station (SWS).
According to the survey, self-rated poverty among Filipino families has reached 58% which is just notches down compared to the 66% that was recorded in July 2021 and September 2002 under the administration of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
Interestingly, the number of families who consider themselves as “poor” as per SWS survey is higher than what was recorded in what SWS referred to as “post-COVID period.”
“The estimated numbers of Self-Rated Poor families were 16.0 million in June 2024 and 12.9 million in March 2024,” SWS reported.
Relatedly, 12% of the respondents see themselves at the borderline – between poor and not poor, while 30% identified believed that they’re not poor.
The same SWS report showed an increase in self-rated poverty in all areas surveyed, with the Balance Luzon (areas outside of Metro Manila) and Mindanao posting the sharp uptick.
Mindanao experienced the highest increase in self-rated poverty, rising 15 points from 56% in March to 71% in June. Balance Luzon also saw a significant rise, with self-rated poverty increasing from 38% in March to 52% in June, a 14-point jump.
The Visayas region reported a self-rated poverty rate of 67%, and Metro Manila had the lowest at 39%.
Among those who rated themselves as poor, 46% saw themselves as food-poor, 15% were food-borderline, and 39% did not consider themselves food-poor.
The SWS survey included 1,500 adults nationwide, with 600 respondents from Balance Luzon, and 300 each from Metro Manila, Visayas and Mindanao. The sampling error margin for the entire country is ±2.5%. (ANGEL F. JOSE)
