The Philippines has seen the number of poor increase to 3.9 million in the first half of 2021.
As per the data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) more Filipinos were pushed into poverty in the first six months of 2021 in comparison to the same period in 2018.
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National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) chief Karl Chua said: “We had set a target of reducing poverty by 6 million Filipinos by 2022. We have achieved that in 2018. But as of the first half of this year, there are 3.9 million more poor.”
The poverty incidence among Filipinos was estimated at 23.7% which was up from the 21.1% recorded three years earlier.
The PSA also said that the poverty incidence among Filipino families stood at 18% poor families. This was higher than the 2018 first-semester figure of 4.04 million.
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As per PSA the number of Filipinos living in subsistence or extreme poverty also increased to 10.94 million from previous 2018 data of 8.5 million.
Chua said that they have to work hard to at least bring them out of “poverty before the term ends.” (AW)
