NATIONAL
Advocates Philippines
Filipinos Feeling The Pinch: Nearly 60% Consider Themselves Poor, SWS Survey Shows
Photo credt: SWS
When it comes to making ends meet, more Filipino families are feeling the squeeze. According to the latest Social Weather Survey (SWS) conducted from September 14-23, 2024, 59% of families across the country now consider themselves “mahirap” or poor—up by 1-percentage point from 58% in June 2024. That might sound like a small bump, but it follows a sharp 12-percentage point rise earlier this year from March’s 46%, marking the highest self-rated poverty levels since 2008.
The survey reflects a worrying trend: a whopping 16.3 million families now see themselves as struggling to make ends meet. It’s a far cry from the record low 38% in March 2019, indicating that more families are having a tougher time staying afloat.
Why the Sudden Shift?
So, what’s behind this surge? It’s a mix of rising prices, stagnant wages, and the lingering impact of the pandemic. While things have returned to normal in many ways, the economic scars haven’t fully healed, especially for those at the lower end of the income spectrum.
The increase is most pronounced in Metro Manila, where the number of families considering themselves poor jumped from 39% in June to 52% in September. That’s a significant rise in just a few months. Meanwhile, Visayas and Mindanao saw slight improvements, but not enough to outweigh the overall trend.
Not Everyone is Feeling Poor
Interestingly, the survey also showed that 28% of families consider themselves “hindi mahirap” or not poor—a 2-percentage point dip from the record high 30% in June. This group, although smaller, reflects a section of society that has managed to weather the economic storm better.
In between these two categories are those who see themselves as “borderline”—not quite poor, but not comfortable either. This group made up 13% of respondents, slightly up from 12% in June.
Food Poverty Still High
When it comes to food, a fundamental necessity, 46% of families consider themselves “food poor”—a figure unchanged since June. This statistic indicates that many families struggle to put adequate food on the table, which is troubling considering that food security is a basic need.
What Are Families Doing to Cope?
Families are adjusting their standards to cope. The survey showed that the national median self-rated poverty threshold—the minimum amount families feel they need to not consider themselves poor—has dropped to P12,000 a month from P15,000. This means families are tightening their belts, lowering their expectations just to get by.
This belt-tightening is also evident when we look at the Self-Rated Poverty Gap (SRP Gap), which measures how much families need to cover their expenses. The SRP Gap fell from P6,000 to P5,000 in September, indicating that families are cutting down even more on their expenses.
A Closer Look at Newly Poor Families
The survey also shed light on a new group of families called the “newly poor.” These are families who have fallen into poverty in the last one to four years. They now make up 9.1% of the total self-rated poor families. This figure reflects how recent economic challenges, like rising inflation and limited job opportunities, have pushed families who were previously getting by into poverty.
The survey reflects a worrying trend: a whopping 16.3 million families now see themselves as struggling to make ends meet. It’s a far cry from the record low 38% in March 2019, indicating that more families are having a tougher time staying afloat.
Why the Sudden Shift?
So, what’s behind this surge? It’s a mix of rising prices, stagnant wages, and the lingering impact of the pandemic. While things have returned to normal in many ways, the economic scars haven’t fully healed, especially for those at the lower end of the income spectrum.
The increase is most pronounced in Metro Manila, where the number of families considering themselves poor jumped from 39% in June to 52% in September. That’s a significant rise in just a few months. Meanwhile, Visayas and Mindanao saw slight improvements, but not enough to outweigh the overall trend.
Not Everyone is Feeling Poor
Interestingly, the survey also showed that 28% of families consider themselves “hindi mahirap” or not poor—a 2-percentage point dip from the record high 30% in June. This group, although smaller, reflects a section of society that has managed to weather the economic storm better.
In between these two categories are those who see themselves as “borderline”—not quite poor, but not comfortable either. This group made up 13% of respondents, slightly up from 12% in June.
Food Poverty Still High
When it comes to food, a fundamental necessity, 46% of families consider themselves “food poor”—a figure unchanged since June. This statistic indicates that many families struggle to put adequate food on the table, which is troubling considering that food security is a basic need.
What Are Families Doing to Cope?
Families are adjusting their standards to cope. The survey showed that the national median self-rated poverty threshold—the minimum amount families feel they need to not consider themselves poor—has dropped to P12,000 a month from P15,000. This means families are tightening their belts, lowering their expectations just to get by.
This belt-tightening is also evident when we look at the Self-Rated Poverty Gap (SRP Gap), which measures how much families need to cover their expenses. The SRP Gap fell from P6,000 to P5,000 in September, indicating that families are cutting down even more on their expenses.
A Closer Look at Newly Poor Families
The survey also shed light on a new group of families called the “newly poor.” These are families who have fallen into poverty in the last one to four years. They now make up 9.1% of the total self-rated poor families. This figure reflects how recent economic challenges, like rising inflation and limited job opportunities, have pushed families who were previously getting by into poverty.
Oct 10, 2024
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