The number of Filipinos living in poverty decreased in 2023, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority’s (PSA) Full Year Official Poverty Statistics. From 19.90 million in 2021, the figure dropped to 17.54 million in 2023, reducing the poverty incidence to 15.5 percent from 18.1 percent.
National Statistician and Civil Registrar General Usec. Claire Dennis Mapa attributed the decline to rising wages and an increase in employment, which outpaced inflation. “Income grew, and it grew faster for those at the bottom decile,” Mapa stated.
The government aims to reduce poverty to single-digit levels before President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s term ends.
However, the peasant group Amihan criticized the report, arguing that the figures do not reflect the reality on the ground. “The growth in the economy is not felt by the majority of farmers and Filipinos,” said Amihan Secretary General Cathy Estavillo. The group also questioned the PSA’s food-poor threshold of P64 per day, claiming it is insufficient for a nutritious meal.
The PSA noted that 11 out of 18 regions saw significant reductions in poverty, with Caraga showing a notable decrease of 11 percentage points, bringing its poverty incidence to 14.9 percent.
The PSA and the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) plan to review the poverty threshold next year to better represent the country’s economic situation.