SWS: 55% of Filipino families consider themselves poor

Fifty-five percent, or more than half of Filipino families, considered themselves poor, according to results of a survey by Stratbase and Social Weather Stations (SWS) for the first quarter of 2025.

The Stratbase-SWS survey, which was conducted from April 11–15, revealed that 12% of Filipino families rated themselves on the borderline dividing poor and not poor, and the remaining 32% said they were not poor.

“The April 2025 percentage of Self-Rated Poor families of 55% was 3 points up from 52% in March 2025, rising steadily for four consecutive months since declining sharply by 13 points from 63% in December 2024 to 50% in January 2025,” SWS said Saturday.

Results from a December 2024 survey found that 63% of Filipinos rated themselves poor, 11% were borderline, and 26% were not poor.

SWS said the 3-point increase in the nationwide Self-Rated Poverty between March 2024 and April 2025 was due to increases in Mindanao, the Visayas, and Metro Manila, combined with slight decline in Balance Luzon (or Luzon outside Metro Manila).

Data showed as of April 2025, Self-Rated Poverty was highest in Mindanao at 70%, followed by the Visayas at 67%, Metro Manila at 45%, and Balance Luzon at 44%.

Compared to March 2025, Self-Rated Poverty rose by 10 points from 60% in Mindanao, 5 points from 62% in the Visayas, and 4 points from 41% in Metro Manila. However, it fell slightly by 2 points from 46% in Balance Luzon.

For Borderline families the percentage hardly changed from 11% to 10% in Metro Manila, 11% to 12% in Balance Luzon, 13% to 12% in the Visayas, and 13% to 14% in Mindanao.

At the same time, Not Poor fell by 11 points from 27% to 16% in Mindanao, 4 points from 25% to 21% in the Visayas, and 3 points from 48% to 45% in Metro Manila. However, it hardly moved from 43% to 44% in Balance Luzon.

The Stratbase-SWS April 2025 National Survey was conducted April 11-15, 2025, using face-to-face interviews of 1,800 registered voters nationwide: 300 in Metro Manila, 900 in Balance Luzon (or Luzon outside Metro Manila), 300 in the Visayas, and 300 in Mindanao. 

The sampling error margins are ±2.31% for national percentages, ±3.27% for Balance Luzon, and ±5.66% each for Metro Manila, the Visayas and Mindanao. —RF, GMA Integrated News