THE Philippine Statistics Authority 11 (PSA 11) clarified that the P10,481 a month is only the minimum requirement to meet the basic food and non-food needs of a family of five.
The agency reported on Wednesday, April 10, 2019, that in the first semester of 2018, a family of five needed no less than P7,337, on average, to meet the family’s basic food needs for a month and P10,481, on average, was needed to meet both basic food and non-food needs.
PSA-11 supervising statistical specialist Ma. Leah Magracia told SunStar Davao Thursday, April 11, that it is only when a family decides a certain kind of lifestyle, depending on its spending capacity, that it varies.
“If you can meet the minimum requirement then that is good. But if you can surpass it then that is much better. The poverty threshold only estimates the minimum basic needs for a family. Kasi iba ang basic needs sa wants lang ng tao,” Magracia said.
Magracia said the food threshold or the minimum income required to meet the basic food needs, was based on the nutritional requirements of the Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI).
The PSA created a national reference food bundle for a family of five which consists of viands per meal including snacks. To estimate the food threshold, each of the ingredients in the food bundle are priced using the data collected by PSA.
Basic non-food needs include clothing, fuel, light and water, housing, rental of occupied dwelling units, transportation and communication, health and education expenses, non-durable furnishing, household operations and personal care and effects.
“For example, ang cellphone at internet, hindi naman ‘yan need para mabuhay. Sa clothing naman, do we need a lot? Sa transportation, hindi mo kailangan mag-taxi. We are talking here about the basic needs para lang mabuhay,” she said.
Magracia said the poverty threshold of the first semester in 2018 is even an improvement because it is 10.9 percent higher than the food and poverty thresholds from the first semester of 2015.
The nationwide poverty incidence fell to 21 percent in January to June 2018 compared to 27.6 percent recorded in the first half of 2015.
This means there are 23.1 million Filipinos whose incomes fail to meet the poverty threshold during the period, or the minimum amount needed to meet the basic food and non-food requirements of a family of five.
The latest poverty data showed reduction of number of poor individuals from the 28.8 million in 2015.