DSWD focuses on human capital vs rising self-rated poverty
MANILA — The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) believes investing in human capital is one of the key solutions in fighting poverty in the country.
In an interview, DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian was asked to comment on the latest result of Social Weather Station (SWS) survey saying, 55% of Filipino families have rated themselves as poor.
Gatchalian told ABS-CBN News the agency is doing all it can to help families in need or those in the poverty threshold through different programs like the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program or 4Ps.
“You can’t end poverty overnight but we will continue to do it by investing in human capital. Namumuhunan tayo sa kabataang Pilipino sa pamamagitan ng early childhood education at health grants ng 4Ps program. Tanggap namin na marami pa kaming trabahong gagawin. Hindi kami titigil, that data gives us a very good input na kailangan pa namin magpursige,” according to Gatchalian.
Under the said program, Gatchalian said, about 1.7 million families have graduated in 2022.
Gatchalian said 3.5 million families remain enrolled as beneficiaries of 4Ps.
Based on the self-rated poverty (SRP) SWS survey conducted in September 2026, 55% of Filipino families rated themselves as “poor”, with the highest prevalence recorded in Mindanao.
“Dito nakita ng survey na 55% ng pamilyang Pilipino ang nagsasabing sila ay mahirap. This is 6-point(s) up from 49% compared to June 2026. Ang pagtaas na ito sa self-rated poverty ay nangyari across all areas,” Leo Laroza, SWS Director for Communications and Informations Technology told ABS-CBN News.
Ilayda Amit, a carinderia owner in Quezon City said, despite having a small business, she considers herself as “poor”.
“Mahirap, mahirap pa rin, kasi hirap ng buhay talaga – mahal ang bilihin, mahal talaga ang bilihin ngayon…grabe, ewan ko bakit sobrang mahal – kumpara noon. Maliit nga ang kita noon, pero mas mura ang bilihin noon,” Amit told ABS-CBN News.
“Lahat mahal ngayon, mahal…(ano na lang ang mura) wala na, lahat na talaga mahal. Mahirap pero nairaraos, kailangan eh – kailangan iraos mo ang buhay, ganyan talaga,” Amit added.
According to Laroza, self-rated families was notably increased in all areas in the country.
“Sa lahat ng areas po na yan, tumaas ang self-rated poverty compared to the previous quarter…hindi minsan reflective ng eco class ang tanong na ‘to. Maaring may mga families na sa totoo lang mataas ang income nila pero pinili pa rin nilang piliin ang mahirap. It’s more of reflection of how they feel at the moment. We leave the definition to them kung ano yung mahirap,” Laroza explained.
Laroza explained, one of the factors that might have contributed to the self-rated poverty incidents is the inflation.
According to Gatchalian, the government’s Unified Package for Livelihoods, Industry, Food, and Transport (UPLIFT) program aims to ease the effects of inflation.
“Kaya meron tayong UPLIFT assistance, kung saan ang layunin – maprrotektahan ang 7.5 million na pamilya na huwag sila lulubog sa kahirapan o mas malalim pa na kahirapan,” said Gatchalian.
“As we speak, kine-credit na natin yung 2nd tranche and then mabilis kaagad matatanggap yung 3rd tranch. Proteksoyn yan, laban dito sa bugso ng pagtaas ng presyo ng bilihin bunsod ng kaguluhan sa Middle East,” Gatchalian explained.