THE number of Filipinos who rated their families as poor dropped to 50 percent (14.1 million) in the last week of April from 63 percent (15.5 million) in the last quarter of 2024 or in December last year, the April 23–28 survey of the Social Weather Stations (SWS) showed.
The SWS said the survey, which involved 1,500 adult respondents nationwide with a margin of error of ±3 percent, also showed the number of people who said their families are on the “borderline” — neither poor nor not poor – was at an all-time low of 8 percent (from 11 percent in December) while those who said they are not poor was at its highest at 42 percent (from 26 percent).
The “borderline poor” was the lowest since the 12 percent recorded in February 1992, March 2025 and April 11, 2025 while the “not poor” was the highest since the 36 percent recorded in January, February and March this year.
SWS said the 50 percent self-rated poor or poverty rating was five points below the 55 percent recorded from April 11 to 15, while the “not poor” went up by 10 points from 32 percent during the same period. The borderline poor dropped by four points to 12 percent.
SWS said the decrease in the national self-rated poverty rating was due to declines across border or in Metro Manila at 33 percent from 51 percent in December (and from 45 percent in April); Balance Luzon at 43 percent from 55 percent (and 44 percent); the Visayas at 67 percent from 74 percent (and 67 percent in April); and Mindanao at 61 percent from 76 percent (and 70 percent).
Those who are “not poor” increased in all areas at 60 percent in Metro Manila from 40 percent in December (and from 45 percent in April), 51 percent in Luzon from 34 percent (and 44 percent), 29 percent in Mindanao from 15 percent (and 16 percent), and 24 percent in the Visayas from 11 percent (and 21 percent).
Those who rated their families as borderline poor dropped across geographical locations: 10 percent in Mindanao from 9 percent in December (and from 14 percent in April), the Visayas at 9 percent from 15 percent (and 12 percent), Luzon at 6 percent from 11 percent (and 12 percent), and Metro Manila at 6 percent from 9 percent (and 10 percent).
SWS said that in order not to be considered poor, Filipinos said they need at least P10,000 monthly in income, which was unchanged from December.
The respondents, however, claimed they have at least a P5,000 gap or shortage in monthly income.
For those in Metro Manila, they said they need P20,000 in income monthly in order not to be considered as poor (unchanged from December); P12,000 in Luzon (up from P10,000); and P10,000 from both the Visayas and Mindanao (both unchanged).
FOOD POOR
SWS also found that those who rated their families as “food poor” dropped by 10 points to 41 percent (from 51 percent in December 2024) while those who said they are “not food poor” rose by 15 points to 51 percent (from 36 percent).
Those who are “borderline food poor” or neither food poor or not food poor slipped by 6 percentage points to 7 percent (from 13 percent)
Majority of those who claimed to be “food poor” were from Mindanao at 55 percent (down by 13 points from 68 percent) and the Visayas at 51 percent (down by 10 points from 61 percent) followed by those from Luzon at 34 percent (down by 8 points from 42 percent) and Metro Manila at 31 percent (down by 8 points from 39 percent).
This is the opposite for those who said their families are “not food poor,” with the majority coming from Metro Manila at 64 percent (up by 14 points from 50 percent) and Luzon at 61 percent (up by 15 points from 56 percent), followed by Mindanao at 38 percent (up by 15 points from 23 percent) and the Visayas at 35 percent (up by 15 points from 20 percent).
Those who claimed to be “borderline food poor” declined to 5 percent each in Metro Manila (from 12 percent) and Luzon (from 12 percent), 7 percent in Mindanao (from 9 percent), and 13 percent in the Visayas (from 19 percent).
SWS said that in order not to be considered “food poor,” Filipinos said they need at least P6,000 monthly in income, which was unchanged from December.
The respondents, however, claimed they have at least a P2,500 gap or shortage in monthly income for food.
For those in Metro Manila, they said they need P10,000 in income monthly in order not to be considered as food poor (unchanged from December); P7,000 in Luzon (from P3,000); P5,000 from the Visayas (from P2,000); and P6,000 in Mindanao (from P3,000).
MONTHLY EXPENSES
SWS said Filipinos continued to spend more on house rent at P3,000 a month (unchanged from December) and transportation to work and school at P2,000 (unchanged); followed by internet bills at P800 (down from P1,000) and mobile phone load at P400 (up from P300).
Those in Metro Manila usually spend P4,000 for house rent (up from P3,500); P3,000 for transportation to work and school (from P2,500); P1,200 for internet (from P1,020) and P400 for mobile phone load (unchanged).
For Luzon respondents, they spend P2,500 for house rent (from P3,500); P2,000 for transportation to work and school (unchanged); P865 (from P1,000); and P400 mobile phone load (unchanged).
In the Visayas, they spend P2,000 for house rent (up from P3,000); P1,500 for transportation to work and school (unchanged); P600 for internet (from P840); and P300 mobile phone load (unchanged).
Mindanao folks spend P3,000 for house rent (from P2,000); P2,000 for transportation to work and school (unchanged); P500 for internet (unchanged); and P250 mobile phone load at P400 (unchanged).
