MALAYBALAY CITY (MindaNews / 31 October) – Self-Rated Poverty has remained highest in Mindanao at 69% as of September 2025, according to a survey done from September 24-30 by the Social Weather Stations (SWS) the results of which were released Thursday.
“Compared to June 2025, Self-Rated Poverty rose by 7 points from 36% in Metro Manila, and by 4 points from 38% in Balance Luzon. However, it fell by 6 points from 60% in the Visayas, while it stayed at 69% in Mindanao,” the SWS said.
“As of September 2025, Self-Rated Poverty was highest in Mindanao at 69%, followed by the Visayas at 54%, Metro Manila at 43%, and Balance Luzon at 42%,” it said.
On the other hand, the percentage of Borderline families rose sharply from 12% to 24% in the Visayas. However, it hardly changed from 8% to 7% in Metro Manila, 10% to 9% in Balance Luzon, and 10% to 11% in Mindanao.
At the same time, Not Poor fell from 57% to 51% in Metro Manila, 28% to 23% in the Visayas, and 52% to 49% in Balance Luzon. It hardly moved from 21% to 20% in Mindanao.
Self-Rated Food Poverty was also highest in Mindanao at 61% in September, which is higher by 1% compared to the 60% recorded in June.
Mindanao was followed by the Visayas at 40%, Metro Manila at 35%, and Balance Luzon at 33%.
Self-Rated Food Poverty is based on the type of food eaten by the families. The SWS said the September survey found 41% of families rating themselves as Food-Poor, 11% rating themselves as Food Borderline (by placing themselves on the line dividing Food-Poor and Not Food-Poor), and 47% rating themselves Not Food-Poor.
“The September 2025 percentage of Self-Rated Food Poor families of 41% was unchanged since April 2025. This was the lowest since 33% in March 2024 and was 3 points below the 2024 annual average of 44%,” the survey said.
The estimated number of Self-Rated Food-Poor families was 11.5 million in September 2025.
The SWS said the September 2025 survey asked the Self-Rated Poor families if they had ever experienced being non-poor (either not poor or borderline) in the past.
“The total percentage of poor families consists of 5.7% who were non-poor 1-4 years ago (‘Newly Poor’), 8.7% who were non-poor five or more years ago (‘Usually Poor’), and 36.0% who never experienced being non-poor (‘Always Poor’),” the survey firm said.
‘Newly Poor’
“Of the estimated 14.2 million Self-Rated Poor families in September 2025, 1.6 million were Newly Poor, 2.4 million were Usually Poor, and 10.1 million were Always Poor,” it said.
“Conversely, the survey asked those who were Self-Rated Non-Poor (either Borderline or Not Poor) if they had ever experienced being poor in the past. The total percentage of non-poor families consists of 13.3% who were poor 1-4 years ago (‘Newly Non-Poor’), 21.1% who were poor five or more years ago (‘Usually Non-Poor’), and 15.1% who never experienced being poor (‘Always Non-Poor)
“Of the estimated 13.9 million Self-Rated Non-Poor families in September 2025, 3.7 million were Newly Non-Poor, 5.9 million were Usually Non-Poor, and 4.2 million were Always Non-Poor,” it added.
The September survey used face-to-face interviews of 1,500 adults (18 years old and above) nationwide: 300 in Metro Manila, 600 in Balance Luzon (or Luzon outside Metro Manila), and 300 each in the Visayas and Mindanao. The sampling error margins are ±3% for national percentages, ±4% for Balance Luzon, and ±6% each for Metro Manila, the Visayas, and Mindanao, the SWS said. (H. Marcos C. Mordeno/MindaNews)
