OCTA survey: 13.2 million Pinoy families consider themselves poor

About 50% or 13.2 million Filipino families considered themselves poor in the fourth quarter of 2024, an increase from 11.3 million families (43%) in the third quarter survey, OCTA Research’s Tugon ng Masa survey showed.

The survey, conducted from November 10 to 16, 2024 said the seven percentage points increase represented around 1.8 million additional families.

The poll was done through face-to-face interviews with 1,200 respondents aged 18 and above.

It has a ±3% margin of error at a 95% confidence level.

Subnational estimates for the geographic areas covered in the survey have the following margins of error at a 95% confidence level: ±6% for Metro Manila, Balance Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.

According to the survey, those who consider their families poor declare that the median amount they need for home expenses in order not to be considered poor is P25,000 pesos per month.

“Additionally, families reported requiring a median of P8,000 more each month to escape poverty,” the survey added.

Self-rated poverty was highest in Mindanao at 69%, followed by Visayas at 59%. Balance Luzon posted 43%, while the National Capital Region only posted 30%.

Mindanao’s 69% self-rated poverty rate was higher than its third quarter figure of 60%.

The 43% self-rated poverty in Balance Luzon was also higher than its 30% figure in the third quarter.

The 30% self-rated poverty in Metro Manila, however, was lower than the third quarter figure of 35%.

The 59% self-poverty rate in Visayas was the same as the third quarter figures.

In addition, the Tugon ng Masa poll also showed that the self-rated hunger increased in the fourth quarter of 2024 to 16% or an estimated 4.2 million families.

This figure is also a five-point increase from the third quarter figures which recorded an 11% self-rated hunger or an estimated 2.9 million families.—LDF, GMA Integrated News