Gains noted in poverty poll

THE NUMBER of Filipino families that consider themselves poor has declined, the Social Weather Stations (SWS) said in a new report where it also noted self-rated food poverty gains.

A May 24-27 survey, the results of which were made exclusive to BusinessWorld, found 51% of the respondents — equivalent to an estimated 10.3 million households — rating themselves as “mahirap.” This was down four points from March’s 55% ( 11.1 million families), the highest hunger score so far under the Aquino administration.

With regard to being poor in terms of food, meanwhile, 39% of the respondents (estimated 7.9 million families) claimed to be so, six points down from the prior survey’s 45% (9.1 million).

Government officials said sustained anti-poverty programs were responsible, adding that this would lead to further gains.

The SWS said self-rated poverty and food poverty improvements were recorded in all areas but also noted that families had continued to tighten their belts.

In Mindanao, self-rated poverty dropped seven points to 65%. It fell five points to 41% in Metro Manila, by four to 57% in the Visayas and by two points to 43% in Balance Luzon.

A five-point decline to 61% was recorded in rural areas, while urban areas saw a two-point increase to 42%.

Self-rated food poverty, meanwhile, dropped by 11 points to 53% in Mindanao. Smaller improvements came in Balance Luzon and Metro Manila, six points to 32% and five points to 25%, respectively. The score was barely changed at 46% from 47% in the Visayas.

In noting continued belt-tightening by Filipino households, the SWS said self-rated poverty thresholds — the monthly budgets poor households need for home expenses in order not to consider themselves poor in general — remained sluggish despite higher inflation.

Compared to the previous quarter, the median poverty threshold for poor households rose to P15,000 in Metro Manila and P10,000 in the Visayas and Mindanao but declined to P9,000 in Balance Luzon.

Median food-poverty thresholds, meanwhile, rose to P7,000 in Metro Manila and P5,000 in Mindanao and the Visayas, but fell to P4,500 in Balance Luzon.

The self-rated poverty and self-rated food poverty thresholds as of May 2012 have already been surpassed in the past for all areas, the SWS said.

Sought for comment, Secretary Ramon “Ricky” A. Carandang of the Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Office said, “The government’s efforts to address poverty have always been in place. We have not done anything differently…”

“[A] sustained reduction in poverty numbers is expected with continued poverty reduction programs,” he added.

Social Welfare Secretary Corazon J. Soliman, meanwhile, said: “the government is continuously coordinating and synergizing. The human development and poverty reduction cluster and economic cluster is approaching poverty in a targeted and focused manner.”

The May 24-27 SWS survey involved face-to-face interviews of 1,200 adults nationwide and utilized sampling error margins of ±3% for national and ±6% for area percentages. — with a report from N. M. Gonzales