The National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) yesterday showed its support for the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) in reviewing its methodologies, baselines and metrics for determining food thresholds and calculating the number of food-poor individuals in the country whose incomes fall short of meeting their basic food requirements.
NAPC Secretary Lope Santos III emphasized the need to recalibrate targets and measurements while focusing on the 740,000 Filipino families currently classified as food-poor.
He stressed that beyond mere numbers and prices, many families are at an economic disadvantage. NAPC calls on all stakeholders, which include national government agencies, local government units, the private sector, development partners and basic sectors, to converge their programs and services and optimize available resources to improve the conditions of these poor families.
“Updating the PSA’s yardstick will ensure that the government’s poverty-related initiatives are timely, accurate, and responsive, and will help poverty-reduction efforts keep in pace with inflation and other economic trends. We expect that the revised metrics will more accurately reflect the real food needs of the poor,” he said.
“As it stands, the poverty incidence in the country has been on a downward trend, decreasing to 15.5 percent in 2023 from 18.1 percent in 2021.This is a clear affirmation of the Marcos administration’s approach to curbing poverty and mitigating its effects. However, statistics should match lived realities so as not to jeopardize our collective actions toward an equitable, poverty-free Bagong Pilipinas where everyone can live a life in dignity,” Lopez added..
As the policy-monitoring and advisory body for the government’s poverty-related programs and policies, NAPC is mandated to facilitate harmonization and coordination of anti-poverty initiatives. The Commission ensures that all sectors of society are involved in the collective effort to eradicate poverty by 2040 in line with AmBisyon Natin 2040.
“We enjoin the PSA to form holistic and grounded standards during its review and consider inputs from the grassroots level. Vice Chairperson for the Basic Sectors Ruperto ‘Ka Uper’ Aleroza has expressed that representatives from the 14 basic sectors are willing to participate in the review process, ensuring that poverty-related measures are informed by and reflect the lived realities of the poor, ” Lopez said.
He added: “NAPC member agencies are actively implementing programs and services designed to combat hunger and reduce poverty and as the PSA refines its methodologies, we urge all concerned NGAs and LGUs to engage with our basic sectors, particularly those from vulnerable and impoverished communities, in the planning, implementation, and evaluation of poverty reduction programs. This inclusive approach will ensure that government measures accurately reflect the daily realities faced by the 740,000 food-poor Filipino families who are in urgent need. Together, we must ensure these efforts are effective, and reflective of and responsive to the urgent needs of the most vulnerable Filipinos. We urge all stakeholders to continue their dedicated efforts in this critical mission of achieving a prosperous and inclusive Bagong Pilipinas with opportunities for everyone.”
