4 out of 10 Filipino families consider themselves poor

AT LEAST four in every 10 Filipino families consider themselves poor in the first quarter of 2024, a survey conducted by Octa Research Group showed.

In the survey conducted by the group from March 11 to 14, Octa found that 42 percent, or an estimated 11.1 million Filipino families see themselves as poor since January 2024, lower than the 45 percent or an estimated 11.9 million families, in the fourth quarter of 2023.

It said the three percent decrease, which represents approximately 800,000 families, while modest, still represents a continuing downward trend in self­rated poverty observed since July 2023.

In July 2023, the self-rated poverty was at 50 percent.

“Self-rated poverty has been going down at a modest rate for the last five quarters starting July 2023,” Octa said.

The self-rated poverty significantly decreased in Metro Manila to 29 percent from 40 percent in the second quarter of 2023, 46 to 28 percent in Balance Luzon, and 57 to 47 percent in the Visayas.

The self-rated poverty in Mindanao increased from 59 to 71 percent.

Those who considered themselves poor said the average monthly income that each family needs in order for them not to be considered poor is P20,000.

The Tugon ng Masa survey also showed the decrease in the families experiencing involuntary hunger during the same period to 11 percent or an estimated 2.9 million from 14 percent, representing 3.7 million households in the last quarter of last year.

The three percent difference, which represents 800,000 families, “deviates from the upward trends observed in the fourth quarter of 2023.”

Across major areas, self-rated hunger decreased in the Visayas, from 19 to 13 percent, and in Mindanao, from 18 to 12 percent.

Balance Luzon experienced a “modest” decrease in self-rated hunger, from 11 to nine percent, while there was a slight increase in Metro Manila, from eight to nine percent. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)