Photo credit: SWS

Despite some signs of improvement in the economy, over half of Filipino families still see themselves as mahirap or poor, according to the latest Stratbase-SWS survey.

The March 15–20, 2025 national survey revealed that 52% of Filipino families rated themselves as poor—slightly higher than 51% in February. That’s around 14.4 million families, based on the 2025 population projections from the Philippine Statistics Authority.

To put things in perspective, the number had dropped to 50% in January and even went as low as 38% back in March 2019. But poverty perception remains high, especially outside Metro Manila.

So, where exactly are Filipinos placing themselves?

Here’s the breakdown:

• 52% said they’re Poor (Mahirap)
• 12% chose “Borderline”—literally placing themselves on the line between poor and not poor
• 36% said they’re Not Poor (Hindi Mahirap)—and this is actually a record-high, holding steady since January

That 36% “Not Poor” rating is the highest it has ever been in SWS history, surpassing the previous record of 30% in June 2024 and December 2014. So yes, while more people are still struggling, there’s a growing chunk of Filipinos who now feel they’re doing better.

Visayas and Balance Luzon feeling the pinch

Digging deeper by region, the highest poverty perception was found in:

• Visayas: 62%
• Mindanao: 60%
• Balance Luzon (outside Metro Manila): 46%
• Metro Manila: 41%

Compared to February, poverty perception rose in the Visayas and Balance Luzon, but dipped in Mindanao and Metro Manila. So while the nationwide average moved just slightly, there’s still some movement beneath the surface.

Interestingly, Not Poor families rose in numbers in Mindanao, Metro Manila, and the Visayas, but slipped a bit in Balance Luzon. Borderline ratings also dropped sharply in the Visayas, but went up slightly in Metro Manila and Balance Luzon.

Hunger still a big issue—especially for the Poor

Another worrying finding? Hunger is on the rise.

The same March 2025 survey showed that 27.2% of Filipino families experienced involuntary hunger—that is, they went hungry and had nothing to eat at least once in the past three months.

The situation is worse among the Self-Rated Poor:

• Hunger jumped from 26.4% in February to 35.6% in March.
• Among the Not Poor and Borderline groups, hunger also increased—though only slightly—from 16.2% to 18.3%.

So, while a growing number of Filipinos feel like they’re escaping poverty, many are still falling through the cracks, especially when it comes to basic needs like food.

A long-running gauge of how Filipinos feel

For context, SWS has been tracking Self-Rated Poverty (SRP) since 1983, using face-to-face interviews to show people a card with “Mahirap” and “Hindi Mahirap” separated by a line. They then ask: Where would you place your family?

It’s a simple question—but it gives a powerful snapshot of how Filipinos really feel about their quality of life.

And right now, that snapshot shows a mixed picture: more families feeling better, but millions still struggling—especially when it comes to hunger.