QUEZON CITY — If a recent Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey is to be the basis, five of 10 Filipino families, or 50 percent, considered themselves poor.

The SWS survey , which was made on September 24 to 20, also showed that four out of 10, or 41 percent of the 1,500 adult respondents, reported they were food insecure.

SWS said the 50 percent rating represented an estimated 14.2 million families who see themselves poor, which is statistically unchanged from the 49 percent, or around 13.7 million families, in its June survey.

Twelve (12) percent of the respondents rated their families as borderline poor (from 10 percent in June), while 38 percent (down from 41 percent) said they are not poor.

Those who rated themselves as poor were highest in Mindanao at 69 percent (unchanged), followed by the Visayas at 54 percent (down from 60 percent), Metro Manila at 43 percent (up from 36 percent), and the rest of Luzon at 42 percent (up from 38 percent).

SWS said respondents reported needing at least P12,000 monthly to avoid being considered poor.

Across geographical regions, those from Metro Manila said they need P20,000 monthly not to be considered as poor, while those from Luzon said they need P10,000 monthly. Those from the Visayas said they also need P10,000 monthly (down from P12,000) while those from Mindanao need P11,500 (up from P10,000).

SWS said 41 percent, meanwhile, rated their families as food-poor (unchanged from June), while 11 percent rated themselves as borderline food-poor (from 10 percent in June), and 47 percent as not food-poor (from 49 percent).

Those who rated their families as food-poor were highest in Mindanao at 61 percent (from 60 percent), followed by the Visayas at 40 percent (down from 44 percent), Metro Manila at 35 percent (up from 31 percent) and the rest of Luzon at 33 percent (from 34 percent).