SWS: 1 of 3 Filipino families has escaped poverty

One out of three of Filipino families escaped poverty in 2017, the latest Social Weather Stations survey on self-rated poverty has shown.

According to the survey conducted nationwide from December 8 to 16 among 1,200 respondents, 17 percent rated themselves as "usually non-poor" while 14 percent said they were "newly non-poor."

This translated to a total of 31 percent who "transitioned" from poor to non-poor.

SWS said the "usually non-poor" used to be poor five or more years ago while the "newly non-poor" used to be poor one to four years ago.

"The figure for December 2017 is the highest rate of newly non-poor families since the 13.8 percent recorded when the question was first surveyed in December 2014," the SWS said in a statement.

Twenty-five percent of the respondents said they were always non-poor or have never experienced poverty.

The total non-poor, according to the December survey, was 56 percent.

1 of 8 'fell' into poverty

In contrast, 44 percent considered themselves poor in December 2017.

This includes 31 percent who said they were "always poor" or have never experienced being non-poor.

One out of eight or 12 percent of Filipino families said they have fallen into poverty.

Those who "transitioned" into poverty consist of "usually poor" families (6.4 percent) or those who were non-poor five or more years ago; and “newly poor” families (6 percent) or those who used to be non-poor one to four years ago.

For the December 2017 survey, face-to-face interviews were conducted among 1,200 individuals aged 18 and above, 300 of which each came from Metro Manila, Balance Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.

The SWS used sampling error margins of ±2.5% for national percentages, and ±6% each for Metro Manila, Balance Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.

Questions about the family's transitioning in and out of poverty were directed to the household head.

Families who rated themselves as poor were asked if they have ever experienced not being poor, and if so, when they most recently experienced it.

Meanwhile, those who rated themselves as "non-poor" were asked if if they have ever experienced being poor, and if so, when they most recently experienced it. —NB, GMA News