14 million Filipino families consider themselves poor — SWS | #INQToday

Summary

A Social Weather Station survey from the first quarter of 2023 indicates that 51% of Filipino families, equating to 14 million, consider themselves poor. This is a rise from December 2022's figure. Around 30% were classified as 'borderline poor,' while 19% claimed not to be poor. The self-rated poverty threshold for Metro Manila increased from 15,000 pesos in December 2022 to 20,000 pesos in March 2023, reflecting the minimum monthly budget families believe they need to avoid poverty.

Takeaways

• 📊 A Social Weather Station (SWS) survey indicates that 51% of Filipino families considered themselves poor in the first quarter of 2023.
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 This equates to approximately 14 million families who rated themselves as poor during the same period.
• 📉 The percentage of families who see themselves as 'borderline poor' stands at about 30%.
• 🏡 19% of families reported that they were not poor as of December 2022.
• 📈 The number of self-rated poor families increased to 51% or around 12.9 million families in December 2022, according to SWS.
• 🏙️ In Metro Manila, the self-rated poverty threshold increased from 15,000 pesos in December 2022 to 20,000 pesos in March 2023.
• 💰 The self-rated poverty threshold represents the minimum monthly budget that poor families believe they need to avoid considering themselves poor.
• 📉 The survey results are in anticipation of the national estimates by the Philippine Statistics Authority and medium population projections for 2023.
• 📰 The report was filed by John Eric Mendoza for inquirer.net.

Q & A

What was the percentage of Filipino families who considered themselves poor in the first quarter of 2023 according to the Social Weather Station (SWS) survey?

According to the SWS survey, an estimated 51 percent or 14 million families rated themselves as poor in the first quarter of 2023.

How does the SWS define 'borderline poor' families?

About 30 percent of families in the survey found themselves 'borderline poor,' which implies they are near the threshold of considering themselves poor.

What percentage of families in the survey claimed they were not poor in December 2022?

In December 2022, 19 percent of the families said they were not poor.

What was the estimated number of self-rated poor families in the Philippines according to the December 2022 SWS survey?

The SWS reported that there were 51 percent or around 12.9 million self-rated poor families in the country in December 2022.

What is the role of the Philippine Statistics Authority in relation to the SWS survey?

The national estimates from the SWS survey are awaited by the Philippine Statistics Authority for medium population projections for 2023.

How much did the self-rated poverty threshold in Metro Manila increase from December 2022 to March 2023?

The self-rated poverty threshold in Metro Manila leaped from 15,000 pesos in December 2022 to 20,000 pesos in March 2023.

What is the significance of the self-rated poverty threshold mentioned in the report?

The self-rated poverty threshold represents the minimum monthly budget that poor families say they need for household expenses to not consider themselves poor.

What was the source of the information provided in the transcript?

The information was reported by John Eric Mendoza for inquirer.net.

How does the SWS survey measure poverty levels among families?

The SWS survey measures poverty levels by asking families to self-rate their economic status, categorizing them as poor, borderline poor, or not poor.

What is the implication of the increase in the self-rated poverty threshold in Metro Manila?

The increase in the self-rated poverty threshold in Metro Manila suggests that the cost of living has risen, and families require more income to meet their basic needs and not consider themselves poor.

How does the SWS survey data contribute to understanding the economic conditions in the Philippines?

The SWS survey data provides a snapshot of the perceived economic well-being of Filipino families, which can be used by policymakers and researchers to assess poverty levels and inform economic policies.