Self-rated poverty highest so far this year – SWS

MANILA, Philippines — More than half of Filipino families considered themselves poor in the third quarter of the year, the highest so far in 2026, based on a survey conducted by Social Weather Stations (SWS).

Results of the Sept. 21 to 27 survey found that 55 percent of respondents considered their families as poor, up six percentage points from 49 percent in June.

The latest self-rated poverty rate also surpassed the 52 percent in March and the average 51 percent last year.

Based on the latest results, 36 percent of the respondents considered their families as “not poor,” hardly moving from 37 percent in June.

Those who considered their families as neither poor nor not poor – considered by SWS as “borderline” – decreased from 14 percent to nine percent.

Self-rated poverty increased across all areas. It was highest among those in Mindanao at 64 percent (from 61 percent), followed by those in the Visayas at 63 percent (from 59 percent), balance Luzon at 51 percent (from 41 percent) and Metro Manila at 44 percent (from 40 percent).

Food poverty

The latest survey also found that 44 percent identified their families as “food poor” or poor based on the food they eat, up from 36 percent in June.

Those who rated their families as “not food poor” slightly decreased from 49 percent to 47 percent, while those who considered their families as “borderline food poor” dropped from 15 percent to nine percent.

Self-rated food poverty was highest among respondents in Mindanao at 52 percent (from 45 percent), closely followed by those in the Visayas at 51 percent (from 45 percent), balance Luzon at 40 percent (from 31 percent) and Metro Manila at 31 percent (from 27 percent).

The SWS survey had 1,500 respondents and a margin of error of plus/minus three percent.