THE percentage of Filipino families who consider themselves poor dropped to 42 percent in April 2025, while those identifying as food-poor declined to 35 percent, according to the latest Tugon ng Masa survey by OCTA Research released Friday.
The survey, conducted from April 10 to 16, showed a notable 8-point drop from the 50 percent self-rated poverty figure recorded in November 2024.
This translates to roughly 2.1 million fewer families who now consider themselves poor — down from 13.2 million to 11.1 million.
Food poverty saw an even steeper decline, with a 14-point drop from 49 percent to 35 percent. This means approximately 3.7 million fewer families now report struggling to afford sufficient and nutritious food — from 12.9 million in the previous quarter to 9.2 million in April.
Despite the overall improvement, regional disparities remain. Mindanao recorded the highest rate of self-rated poverty at 61 percent, followed by the Visayas at 60 percent. The lowest was in Metro Manila.
Among socioeconomic classes, Class E registered the highest self-rated poverty (69 percent) and food poverty (64 percent), while Class ABC showed the lowest levels.
The nationwide survey included 1,200 respondents and has a ±3 percent margin of error at a 95 percent confidence level.
