The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) addressed misconceptions obscuring the purpose of their poverty and food threshold computations, clarifying that these are only "tools" for measuring policy and program efficacy and gauge overall progress.
"These thresholds serve as part of a broader set of tools used to assess the country’s development progress and to measure the effectiveness of the government’s policies and programs in addressing poverty," NEDA Chief Arsenio Balisacan declared in a statement released on Thursday. "They are not, and were never intended to be, prescribed budgets for a decent standard of living."
"They do not dictate how much a family should spend on food, nor do they provide an idea of a desirable household budget. Instead, these thresholds, along with other socioeconomic indicators, are metrics that we use to determine the inclusiveness of the country’s economic growth and if our policies have improved the well-being of the poor," he added.
He also said that the threshold defined corresponds to the price of "a food bundle that meets the energy and micronutrient requirements of the average Filipino," which is expected to change with shifts in preferences, lifestyles, prices, and incomes.
The NEDA secretary rationalized that thresholds, which are "consistent survey methodologies" that parallel international models, were put in place for the observation and evaluation of poverty trends through the years--a function of the government . He pointed out that he had acknowledged to the Development Budget Coordination Committee the day before that his agency must "revisit" the food bundle or goods basket and update it according to the everyday Filipino's diet.
"We acknowledge the increasing cost of living and the challenges that Filipinos face due to high inflation," he said. "No less than the President himself has emphasized that the statistics we measure and publish lose their significance when Filipinos cannot afford basic necessities such as food."
"Filipinos living in poverty are not mere statistics in a report; our countrymen are carrying their struggles, hoping to fulfill their potential. Each one deserves empathy and support, particularly from the government."
Balisacan reassured that the government, in coordination with other sectors of society, has gotten to grips with the issue beginning with its roots. Those concerned are to concentrate their efforts into ensuring poverty rates continue to go down as it has in Caraga, and even in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), wherein poverty is still prevalent but has dipped since 2021. Their aim is to reduce poverty to "single-digit level" by 2028.
"To maintain our gains, the government will continue to ensure that nutritious food is available, accessible, and affordable for all Filipinos," the statement reads. To do so, the agency vows to tackle difficulties in agricultural supply and assist the development of the agriculture sector's production, as well as employing "strategic trade policies."
The Trabaho Para sa Bayan (TPB) Act is also ultimately aimed at "rais[ing] the purchasing power of individuals and households," supplemented by support for employees along with employers, especially for any counted in vulnerable and informal sectors. The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is also eyeing an upscaled Food Stamp Program, with a target of 21 priority provinces--as opposed to the present five pilot areas--or 300,000 households by 2028. The 4P's or Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program cash grants will also be adjusted with inflation in mind.
