Poverty incidence in 2021 higher compared to 2018, but lower to figures in 2015
(Eagle News) – At least 19.99 million Filipinos lived below the poverty line in 2021, the Philippine Statistics Authority said.
The PSA said that the poverty incidence among the Filipino population has risen to 18.1 percent last year compared to the 2021 figure of 16.7 percent. It was however lower compared to the 23.5 percent poverty incidence in 2015.
“This translates to around 19.99 million Filipinos who lived below the poverty threshold of about PhP 12,030 per month for a family of five,” said Undersecretary Claire Dennis Mapa, National Statistician and Civil Registrar General of the poverty incidence in 2021.
The PSA describes the “subsistence incidence” as “the proportion of Filipinos whose income is not enough to meet even just the basic food needs.”
Mapa said that this subsistence incidence “slightly increased to 5.9 percent in 2021.”
“It was estimated that a family of five needs at least PhP 8,379 per month to meet their basic food requirements,” he said in a statement.
-3.5 million Filipino families considered poor in 2021-
According to the PSA, around 3.5 million families or 13.2 percent were considered poor in 2021.
The PSA said that 1.04 million poor families in the country live “below the food poverty line.”
The subsistence incidence among families was observed at 3.9 percent, according to the agency.
In 2018, the poverty incidence was lower at 16.7 percent. The subsistence incidence that year was also lower at 5.2 percent compared to year 2021.
However, the poverty incidence in year 2015 was higher at 23.5 percent. The subsistence incidence that year was also higher at 9.1 percent.
(Eagle News Service)