Some 12.2 million Filipino families considered themselves “poor” in the second quarter, according to the latest Social Weather Stations Survey (SWS).
In the survey conducted from 26 to 29 June 2022, the percentage of Filipino families considered poor rose to 12.2 million in the second quarter of 2022 from 10.9 million during the first quarter this year.
Of the estimated 12.2 million self-rated poor families in June 2022, some 2.2 million were considered “newly poor”, 1.6 million were “usually poor” and 8.4 million were “always poor.”
More determined moves vowed
When asked about the survey result, Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles said this will push the Marcos administration to concentrate more on poverty reduction efforts.
She cited the promise of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. in his first State of the Nation Address (SoNA) to reduce the poverty rate to nine percent or a single-digit poverty rate by 2028.
“According to our President’s SoNA, we have a goal that by 2028, we can reduce our poverty levels to a single digit, so that is still ongoing,” she said in a Palace press briefing.
“This makes the matter more urgent and we will strongly focus on the eradication of poverty levels here in the Philippines. So, at least we can reduce it to single-digit levels.”
She added that Marcos, who is also concurrent Agriculture Secretary, aims to push for agricultural and economic development that will result in higher job creation and growth.
“Strengthening of agriculture, strengthening of our economy – all of these will help us to focus on these levels of poverty here in the Philippines,” she said.