More Filipino families rate themselves poor, says SWS

FILIPINO families that rated themselves poor rose to their highest in more than five years in December, according to a poll by the Social Weather Stations (SWS), SWS said 54% of families considered themselves poor, 12 points higher than in September and the highest since the 55% recorded in September 2014.

The estimated number of self-rated poor families reached 13.1 million in December from 10.3 million in September.

The annual average self-rated poverty rate for last year was 45%, 3 points lower than in 2018.

Self-rated poverty was 41% in Metro Manila, 47% in the rest of Luzon, 67% in the Visayas, and 64% in Mindanao.

SWS interviewed 1,200 adults in December for the poll, which had an error margin of ±3 points. — NPA