Self-rated poverty highest in 21 years; 63% of Pinoy households say they’re poor

MANILA, Philippines — The number of Filipinos who deem themselves poor and food-poor is at its highest in two decades, the Social Weather Stations (SWS) said on Wednesday, January 8.

Around 63% of Filipino families consider themselves poor — the highest self-rated poverty rating in 21 years, according to the SWS.  

Meanwhile, 11% of families deem themselves borderline poor while 26% do not consider themselves not poor. 

“The December 2024 percentage of Self-Rated Poor families of 63% was 4 points up from 59% in September 2024, rising steadily for the third consecutive quarter since the significant 12-point rise from 46% in March 2024 to 58% in June 2024. This was the highest percentage of Self-Rated Poor families in 21 years, since 64% in November 2003,” the SWS said in its report. 

The December 2024 self-poverty rounded up the resulting overall self-rated poverty for 2024 at 59%. This is nine points higher than the yearly average of 48% in 2023. 

Self-rated poverty in December 2024 totaled 17.4 million, a 1 million increase from the 16.3 million recorded in September 2024.

A total of 10.2% are “newly poor”. 

“Of the estimated 17.4 million Self-Rated Poor families in December 2024, 2.8 million were Newly Poor, 2.1 million were Usually Poor, and 12.4 million were Always Poor,” the SWS said. 

The SWS listed the self-rated poverty score per area in December 2024 as follows: 

Visayas and Mindanao recorded significant increases in self-rated poverty. The four-point increase in the country’s self-rated poverty was concentrated in the two major islands. 

The SWS also found that self-rated food poverty increased from September to December 2024, rising from 46% to 51%, a five-point increase.

The firm said “this was the highest in over 20 years, since the 51% in March 2004.” 

Meanwhile, the self-rated food borderline stood at 13%, while those who were not food-poor accounted for 36% in December 2024.

Self-rated poverty was up in all areas except Metro Manila. Visayas had the largest increase in self-rated food poor families, going from 49% in September to 61% in December 2024. 

However, self-rated food poverty remained the highest in Mindanao. Self-rated food poverty on