Approximately 14 million Filipino families report feeling deprived, amid revelations that some politicians and other government officials are living lavishly on stolen government funds, particularly from flood control projects.

A Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey from 24 to 30 November 2025 showed 51 percent of Filipino families rated themselves “poor,” 12 percent at the borderline, and 37 percent considered themselves “not poor.”

The share of families that considered themselves poor fell from 51 percent (14.3 million) in September 2024 to 57 percent in September 2025.

The percentage of respondent households rating themselves as poor was applied to the Philippine Statistics Authority medium-population projections for 2025 to derive the estimated number of self-rated poor families.

The current data placed the Self-Rated Poverty Threshold at P15,000, and the national median self-rated poverty gap at P6,000.

Better in Metro Manila

Meanwhile, the November 2025 survey found the percentage of non-poor families at 37 percent, similar to the 38 percent in September 2025, following a slight decline from 41 percent in June 2025.

Self-rated poverty rises in the Visayas and Balance Luzon, but falls in Metro Manila and Mindanao.