The latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey showed an improvement in Filipino families’ self-rated poverty, with self-rated poverty down three percentage points and self-rated food poverty down six percentage points from March to June.

The survey, conducted from 20 to 29 June, found that 49 percent of Filipino families considered themselves poor, down from 52 percent in March.

The estimated number of low-income families also declined, from 14.5 million in March to 13.6 million in June. Meanwhile, the number of families who considered themselves food-poor fell from an estimated 11.7 million to 10.2 million over the same period.

Self-rated food poverty fell more sharply, to 36 percent in June from 42 percent in March.

Despite the improvement, nearly half of Filipino families still considered themselves poor, while more than one-third still regarded themselves as food-poor.

The latest figures also showed an increase in the number of families who considered themselves not poor, rising to 37 percent in June from 35 percent in March. Those who placed themselves in the borderline category also increased slightly, from 13 percent to 14 percent.

Regional breakdown

Nationwide, the Visayas recorded the largest decline in self-rated poverty, falling seven percentage points from 66 percent in March to 59 percent in June.

Mindanao continued to post the highest self-rated poverty rate at 61 percent, despite a two-point decline from March. The Visayas followed at 59 percent, while Balance Luzon and Metro Manila recorded 41 percent and 40 percent, respectively.

“As of June 2026, Self-Rated Poverty was highest in Mindanao at 61 percent, followed by the Visayas at 59 percent, Balance Luzon at 41 percent, and Metro Manila at 40 percent.