Despite its reputation as one of the more developed provinces in Region 4A (CALABARZON), Batangas experienced a striking surge in poverty in 2023.
According to data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), released in January 2025 by PSA Regional Director Charito Armonia, the number of poor families in the province jumped by 7,200 — from 32,300 in 2021 to 39,500 in 2023.
The poverty crisis in Batangas deepened further in 2023, with the province’s poverty incidence rate climbing from 4.3 percent in 2021 to 4.9 percent in 2023.
While neighboring provinces — Cavite, Laguna and Quezon — saw a decline in the number of poor families, Batangas stood out as an exception. This trend suggests that despite the province’s industrial and tourism growth, many residents are not reaping the benefits.
Out of the 226,700 poor families across Region 4A, Batangas and Rizal were the only provinces that recorded an increase in poverty between 2021 and 2023. Batangas saw an alarming rise of 7,200 poor families, while Rizal recorded an even higher increase of 11,400.
The situation becomes even more concerning when looking at subsistence incidence — the percentage of families unable to afford even basic food needs. In Batangas, this rate jumped from 1 percent in 2021 to 1.4 percent in 2023, marking the second highest in the region.
Adding to the financial strain, the poverty threshold in Batangas has also risen. A family now needs to earn at least P15,457 per month to meet essential food and non-food expenses — significantly higher than the P12,845 required in 2021.