AROUND 11.4 million families or 52 percent consider themselves as poor, according to the fourth quarter survey of Social Weather Stations.
Results of the November 27 to December 1 survey was slightly lower from 55 percent (estimated 12 million) in the third quarter to 52 percent in the last quarter this year.
SWS said the three-point fall in self-rated poverty rate was due to a seven-point decline in Balance Luzon. However, it remained steady in Metro Manila, Visayas, and Mindanao.
In Balance Luzon, the self-rated poverty was 52 percent in September 2014 to 45 percent in December 2014.
The self-rated poverty stayed at 43 percent in Manila and 65 percent in Visayas.
Meanwhile, it moved from 61 percent in the third quarter to 60 percent in the last quarter in 2014 in Mindanao.
The average self-rated poverty rate this year, on the other hand, was slightly higher by two percent, from 52 percent in 2012 and 2013 to 54 percent this year.
The result showed that it is the worst figure in eight years.
The study also found out that some 9.1 million families or 41 percent consider the type of food they eat as poor in the last quarter, which is slightly lower from 43 percent (estimated 9.1 million) last September.
The two-point reduction in self-rated food poverty was due to declines in Metro Manila and Visayas (six point-fall and two point-fall, respectively. It, however, remained steady in Balance Luzon and Mindanao.
In Metro Manila, the self-rated food poverty was 30 percent in September and dropped to 24 percent in December.
In Visayas, it fell from 53 percent in the third quarter to 51 percent in the last quarter.
The self-rated food poverty remained in Luzon and Mindanao (37 percent and 52 percent, respectively).
This year's average self-rated food poverty, on the other hand, has the same average in 2012 but is two-point higher from 39 percent in 2013.
The survey, which interviewed 1,800 respondents, used a sampling error margins of ±2 percent for national percentages, ±6 percent each for Metro Manila, Balance Luzon and Mindanao, and ±3 percent for Visayas. (Sunnex)