14.4 M Pinoy families poor - SWS

An estimated 14.4 million Filipino families consider themselves poor in the first quarter of 2025, a new survey conducted by Social Weather Stations (SWS) said.

- By JANVIC MATEO

The survey, conducted from March 15 to 20 and released on Friday, showed that 52 percent of the respondents consider their families poor, almost similar to 50 percent in January and 51 percent in February.

Based on the results, self-rated poverty in the first quarter of the year eased from the 21-year high of 63 percent obtained in December 2024.

Meanwhile, those who rated their families as "not poor" was at record-high 36 percent in the first three months of the year, up from 26 percent in the December 2024 survey. Those who said they were "borderline" poor range from 12 percent to 14 percent in the first three months of the year, from 11 percent in December.

Across areas, self-rated poverty was highest in March among those in the Visayas at 62 percent (from 74 percent in December), followed by those in Mindanao at 60 percent (from 76 percent), balance Luzon at 46 percent (from 55 percent) and Metro Manila at 41 percent (from 51 percent).