Manila, Philippines - A recent survey conducted by OCTA has shown a decrease in the number of Filipino families who consider themselves poor and those experiencing involuntary hunger in the third quarter of 2023.
According to Philippines News Agency, 46 percent, or an estimated 12.1 million Filipino families, self-identified as poor, which is a decrease from the estimated 13.2 million families or 50 percent in July. This 4 percent reduction represents around 1 million families, marking the first decline in self-rated poverty in three quarters. The largest decrease was observed in Balance Luzon, where rates fell from 46 percent to 37 percent. However, Visayas and Mindanao reported higher percentages, with 59 percent and 58 percent, respectively, of adult Filipinos considering their families poor.
The same survey also indicated a decline in self-rated hunger. Approximately 10 percent, or an estimated 2.6 million Filipino families, experienced involuntary hunger in the three months before the survey, down from 15 percent, or around 3.9 million families, in the second quarter. This 5 percent decrease equates to about 1.3 million families.
Speaker Martin Romualdez expressed satisfaction with these findings, attributing the positive trend to the intervention programs of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and the support of the legislature. He emphasized the commitment of the House of Representatives, alongside the Executive branch, to continue efforts in reducing poverty and hunger. Romualdez linked the decrease in poverty to the economy's growth, from 4.3 percent in the second quarter to 5.9 percent in the third quarter, and government measures such as the price cap on rice and campaigns against price manipulation in agricultural products.
Additionally, the survey findings are corroborated by a Social Weather Stations (SWS) poll, which showed a decrease in the number of Filipino families facing involuntary hunger. The overall hunger rate among the self-rated poor dropped from 10.8 percent in June to 7.7 percent in September, and among the self-rated food-poor, it decreased from 9.4 percent to 7 percent.
The survey was conducted via face-to-face interviews with over 1,200 adults nationwide, providing a glimpse into the socio-economic conditions affecting the Filipino population.