MANILA - More Filipinos see themselves as poor, with self-rated poverty rising to its highest level in 21 years, according to the latest survey from the Social Weather Stations.

SWS said that its December 2024 survey showed that the percentage of families who saw themselves as poor reached 63 percent, up 4 points up from 59 percent in September 2024.

"The estimated numbers of Self-Rated Poor families were 17.4 million in December 2024 and 16.3 million in September 2024," SWS said.

The research group also said this was the highest percentage of Self-Rated Poor families in 21 years, since 64 percent in November 2003. It also noted that the number of Filipinos who see themselves as poor has been rising steadily for the third consecutive quarter since the significant 12-point rise from 46 percent in March 2024 to 58 percent in June 2024.

'NEWLY POOR'

SWS said that its survey showed that the number of people who recently became poor had grown.

It said that of the 63 percent who saw themselves as poor, 10.2 percent were not poor 1-4 years ago or newly poor. This meant that of the estimated 17.4 million self-rated poor families in December 2024, 2.8 million were newly poor, SWS said. 

Meanwhile 2.1 million were "usually poor" or those who were not poor five or more years ago, and 12.4 million were "always poor" or those who had never experienced life without poverty.

For 2024, the annual average for Self-Rated Poor families was 57 percent, which was 9 points above the annual average of 48 percent in 2023 and 2022.

Meanwhile, 11 percent of Filipino families rated themselves as Borderline or between Poor and Not Poor, and 26 percent saw themselves as "Hindi Mahirap" or Not Poor, SWS said.

The research group also noted that self-rated poverty climbed in the Visayas and Mindanao, but was steady in Metro Manila and Balance Luzon.

"As of December 2024, Self-Rated Poverty was highest in Mindanao at 76 percent, followed by the Visayas at 74 percent, Balance Luzon at 55 percent, and Metro Manila at 51 percent," SWS said.

FOOD POVERTY

Self-Rated Food Poverty also climbed to 51 percent, up 5 points from 46 percent in September 2024 and June 2024, SWS said. 

The 5-point rise in the was due to increases in the Visayas, Mindanao, and Balance Luzon, combined with a steady percentage in Metro Manila, the research group added. 

"As of December 2024, Self-Rated Food Poverty stayed highest in Mindanao at 68 percent, followed by the Visayas at 61 percent, Balance Luzon at 42 percent, and Metro Manila at 39 percent," SWS said.

OFFICIAL POVERTY DATA

The results of the latest SWS study contrasted with official data on poverty from the Philippine Statistics Authority. 

According to the PSA the number of poor Filipinos has been falling, and has gone down to 17.54 million in 2023 from 19.9 million in 2021.

The PSA said rising wages, rising employment, and a growing economy have lifted more Filipinos out of poverty.

The government has vowed to bring down the poverty level to single-digit levels before President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s term ends.