NATIONAL
Advocates Philippines
SWS: 51% Of Filipino Families Rate Selves As Poor
Photo credit: SWS
According to the National Social Weather Survey conducted from March 26-29, 2023, 51% of Filipino families rated themselves as poor or “mahirap", while 30% were borderline and 19% not poor or “hindi mahirap.”
These figures were similar to the December 2022 survey. The estimated number of self-rated poor families in March 2023 was 14.0 million, compared to 12.9 million in December 2022. The survey has been conducted quarterly since 1992, except for the first three quarters of 2020 when face-to-face surveys were not possible due to the pandemic.
The survey showed an increase in the self-rated poor in Metro Manila and the Visayas, while it decreased in Balance Luzon and remained steady in Mindanao. Borderline families remained stable in all regions, except for the Visayas, where it decreased. Meanwhile, not poor families increased in Balance Luzon, but decreased in Metro Manila and Mindanao, and remained steady in the Visayas.
The median Self-Rated Poverty Threshold (SRP Threshold) remained at P15,000 nationally for the last five quarters, while the national median Self-Rated Poverty Gap (SRP Gap) increased from P5,000 in December 2022 to P6,000 in March 2023. However, the median SRP Threshold in Metro Manila increased from P15,000 to P20,000, while the median SRP Gap increased from P6,000 to P10,000.
The survey also found that 6.5% of poor families were newly poor, 6.7% were usually poor, and 37.9% had always been poor. Of the 14.0 million self-rated poor families in March 2023, 1.8 million were newly poor, 1.8 million were usually poor, and 10.4 million had always been poor.
The survey was conducted through face-to-face interviews, except for the first three quarters of 2020, and covered a total of 1,800 respondents.
These figures were similar to the December 2022 survey. The estimated number of self-rated poor families in March 2023 was 14.0 million, compared to 12.9 million in December 2022. The survey has been conducted quarterly since 1992, except for the first three quarters of 2020 when face-to-face surveys were not possible due to the pandemic.
The survey showed an increase in the self-rated poor in Metro Manila and the Visayas, while it decreased in Balance Luzon and remained steady in Mindanao. Borderline families remained stable in all regions, except for the Visayas, where it decreased. Meanwhile, not poor families increased in Balance Luzon, but decreased in Metro Manila and Mindanao, and remained steady in the Visayas.
The median Self-Rated Poverty Threshold (SRP Threshold) remained at P15,000 nationally for the last five quarters, while the national median Self-Rated Poverty Gap (SRP Gap) increased from P5,000 in December 2022 to P6,000 in March 2023. However, the median SRP Threshold in Metro Manila increased from P15,000 to P20,000, while the median SRP Gap increased from P6,000 to P10,000.
The survey also found that 6.5% of poor families were newly poor, 6.7% were usually poor, and 37.9% had always been poor. Of the 14.0 million self-rated poor families in March 2023, 1.8 million were newly poor, 1.8 million were usually poor, and 10.4 million had always been poor.
The survey was conducted through face-to-face interviews, except for the first three quarters of 2020, and covered a total of 1,800 respondents.
May 8, 2023
