Ibon foundation challenges government's poverty measurement as 'outdated'

MANILA — The Ibon Foundation has questioned the validity of the government's poverty statistics, calling the official poverty standard both outdated and unrealistic for measuring hardship among Filipinos.

According to government data, individuals spending more than P96.22 daily are not classified as poor, while a family of five earning slightly above P14,634 monthly falls outside the poverty threshold. The Philippine Statistics Authority recorded poverty incidence at 9.7% in 2025, marking the lowest rate in recent years.

However, the Ibon Foundation contends that these benchmarks do not adequately capture the financial pressures facing ordinary Filipinos. The advocacy group argues that the official poverty line fails to account for rising costs of essential goods and services, including food, housing, healthcare, and education.

The foundation's critique highlights ongoing debates about how poverty is measured in the Philippines and whether government statistics accurately represent the economic conditions of vulnerable populations. Policymakers and civil society organizations continue to grapple with refining poverty metrics to better inform anti-poverty initiatives and social programs.

The government has not yet responded to the Ibon Foundation's concerns regarding its poverty measurement methodology.