10.8M Pinoy homes consider themselves poor, food poverty down in Q3 – SWS
Figures from the 2013 third quarter self-rated poverty poll taken by the Social Weather Stations were "generally unchanged" from June, with half of Filipinos or about 10.8 million households still considering themselves poor.
"Self-rated poverty was not significantly different from the previous quarter, or from the four-quarter average of 2012 either," said the SWS. “But self-rated food poverty was lowest of [the] past four quarters, and significantly less than the average of 2012.”
According to the poll, self-rated poverty went up slightly to 50 percent from 49 percent (10.4 million households) in June.
Meanwhile, fewer families considered themselves food-poor. Self-rated food poverty fell to 37 percent (7.9 million households) from 40 percent (8.5 million households) in June.
In 2012, self-rated poverty averaged 52 percent, while food poverty averaged 41 percent.
The survey was conducted from September 20 to 30 using face-to-face interviews with 1,200 adult Filipinos nationwide. Sampling error margins of ±3% for national and ±6% for area percentages applied to the survey.
Belt-tightening
The SWS said Filipino families continued to tighten their belts, with self-rated poverty thresholds still "sluggish" despite higher inflation.
It said the median thresholds, or "the monthly budget that would satisfy the poorer half of the poor households," increased to P15,000 in Metro Manila, P10,000 in Balance Luzon and the Visayas, and P9,500 in Mindanao.
Median self-rated food poverty thresholds, or the "monthly food budgets that food-poor households need in home expenses in order not to consider themselves food-poor," went up to P8,500 in Metro Manila and to P5,000 in the Visayas.
It stayed at P5,000 in Balance Luzon and P4,000 in Mindanao.
Geographic data
September’s self-rated poverty figures may have been "roughly due" to a decline in Balance Luzon and a rise in Mindanao, the SWS said.
Balance Luzon families that considered themselves poor fell to 42 percent in September from 48 percent in June. The SWS noted the percentage had “been above 40 percent in 10 out of 13 surveys since September 2010."
On the other hand, there was 14-point increase in Mindanao to 61 percent, though it was below the 67 percent average in 2012.
In the Visayas, self-rated poverty rose to 62 percent from 57 percent in June. The SWS said the rate in the Visayas had been above 60 percent in eight of 13 surveys since September 2010.
Self-rated poverty went up to 44 percent in Metro Manila from 40 percent in June. The SWS said self-rated poverty remained above 40 percent in nine polls.
Meanwhile, the food-poor figures fell due to a 12-point decline in Balance Luzon, down to 30 percent in September, from 42 percent in June.
But food poverty went up to 47 percent in Mindanao, eight points up from June.
Visayas and Metro Manila each registered two-point increases, with food poverty at 46 percent in the Visayas and 29 percent in Metro Manila. — DVM, GMA News
"Self-rated poverty was not significantly different from the previous quarter, or from the four-quarter average of 2012 either," said the SWS. “But self-rated food poverty was lowest of [the] past four quarters, and significantly less than the average of 2012.”
According to the poll, self-rated poverty went up slightly to 50 percent from 49 percent (10.4 million households) in June.
Meanwhile, fewer families considered themselves food-poor. Self-rated food poverty fell to 37 percent (7.9 million households) from 40 percent (8.5 million households) in June.
In 2012, self-rated poverty averaged 52 percent, while food poverty averaged 41 percent.
The survey was conducted from September 20 to 30 using face-to-face interviews with 1,200 adult Filipinos nationwide. Sampling error margins of ±3% for national and ±6% for area percentages applied to the survey.
Belt-tightening
The SWS said Filipino families continued to tighten their belts, with self-rated poverty thresholds still "sluggish" despite higher inflation.
It said the median thresholds, or "the monthly budget that would satisfy the poorer half of the poor households," increased to P15,000 in Metro Manila, P10,000 in Balance Luzon and the Visayas, and P9,500 in Mindanao.
Median self-rated food poverty thresholds, or the "monthly food budgets that food-poor households need in home expenses in order not to consider themselves food-poor," went up to P8,500 in Metro Manila and to P5,000 in the Visayas.
It stayed at P5,000 in Balance Luzon and P4,000 in Mindanao.
Geographic data
September’s self-rated poverty figures may have been "roughly due" to a decline in Balance Luzon and a rise in Mindanao, the SWS said.
Balance Luzon families that considered themselves poor fell to 42 percent in September from 48 percent in June. The SWS noted the percentage had “been above 40 percent in 10 out of 13 surveys since September 2010."
On the other hand, there was 14-point increase in Mindanao to 61 percent, though it was below the 67 percent average in 2012.
In the Visayas, self-rated poverty rose to 62 percent from 57 percent in June. The SWS said the rate in the Visayas had been above 60 percent in eight of 13 surveys since September 2010.
Self-rated poverty went up to 44 percent in Metro Manila from 40 percent in June. The SWS said self-rated poverty remained above 40 percent in nine polls.
Meanwhile, the food-poor figures fell due to a 12-point decline in Balance Luzon, down to 30 percent in September, from 42 percent in June.
But food poverty went up to 47 percent in Mindanao, eight points up from June.
Visayas and Metro Manila each registered two-point increases, with food poverty at 46 percent in the Visayas and 29 percent in Metro Manila. — DVM, GMA News
Comments