A new study by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) suggests that millions of Filipinos classified as “non-poor” may still be experiencing poverty, as current measurement systems fail to capture how resources are distributed within households.
Researchers said traditional poverty estimates rely on household-level income averages, assuming all members benefit equally. This, they warned, can mask unequal access to resources, particularly among women and children.
“Official figures assume that every household member receives an equal slice of income,” said PIDS Supervising Research Specialist Deanne Lorraine Cabalfin. “This design makes intra-household inequality invisible and systematically misses the gender gap,” she added.
The study, titled “Measuring Poverty within Filipino Households: Examining Resource Sharing and Economies of Scale,” analyzed survey data to assess how income is allocated among family members. It found that women receive only about 25 to 43 percent of household resources, while children may receive as little as 7 to 19 percent each, especially in larger families.
Cabalfin said the findings suggest that many children in households classified as non-poor may still experience deprivation.
“Many children that may be living in non-poor households may, in fact, be considered poor,” she said.
The study raises concerns that official poverty statistics may underestimate the true extent of deprivation, particularly among vulnerable groups.
Development practitioner Christian Deloria of the BRAC International Ultra-Poor Graduation Initiative said the pattern is not unique to the Philippines, noting that many families remain just above the poverty threshold but still face daily hardships.
He said poverty should be understood not only in terms of income but also in access to opportunities, exposure to risks, and structural barriers to upward mobility.
The study also found that a significant portion of the population remains vulnerable to falling into poverty. While family poverty incidence was estimated at around 11 percent in 2023, about 30 percent of Filipino households are at risk due to shocks such as job loss, illness, disasters, or rising living costs.
Researchers said the findings underscore the need to rethink how poverty is measured to better reflect the lived realities within Filipino households.