Self-rated poverty at 50%

MANILA, Philippines - The results of the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey showed that 50 percent of Filipinos consider themselves as poor.

The survey was conducted from December 5 to 8 last year among 1,200 respondents nationwide.

The SWS also reported that the average self-rated poverty rate for 2015 was 50 percent.

The self-rated poverty rate was at 51 percent for the first and second quarters and 50 percent for the two remaining quarters of 2015.

The average self-rated poverty rate for 2015 is at 33 percent in the National Capital Region, 43 percent in Luzon, 66 percent in Visayas and 63 percent in Mindanao.

Meanwhile, 33 percent of the respondents said that they consider their food as "poor" during the fourth quarter of the previous year.

Presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda noted that the 2015 average of self-rated poverty was 4 points lower than 2014.

"These latest results from the SWS encourage us in the administration to further maximize the country’s resources toward greater inclusivity. Our 2016 budget attests to this commitment," Lacierda said in a statement.

Lacierda pointed out the conditional cash transfer program which gives cash aid to around 4.4 million households. The program will be continued in 2016.