Antique poverty incidence declines to 13.8%

Poverty incidence in Antique declined to 13.8 percent in 2023 from 17.77 percent in 2018, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) report said on Wednesday. Antique chief statistical specialist Dr. Randy Tacogdoy said that based on their two surveys conducted from January to June and July to December 2023, the 13.8 percent poverty incidence translates to 20,800 poor Antiqueño families. Based on the survey, 5,840 of the 26,640 indigent families in 2018 achieved improved quality of life, leaving only 20,800 Antiqueño families still considered poor last year. 'Individuals and families have housing units, better income due to their employment, and self-produced consumption,' Tacogdoy said. The decline in poverty incidence meant that 19 out of every 100 Antiqueños, or 118,700 individuals, are still considered poor and need PHP2,742 monthly to meet their basic food and non-food needs. Further, 14 out of 100 Antiqueño families are still considered poor. A family of five needs PHP13,711 monthly to meet their ba sic food and non-food needs. For subsistence incidence, PSA reported that five out of 100 Antiqueños are considered food-poor and need PHP1,918 monthly to meet their basic food needs. Tacogdoy said subsistence incidence is the proportion of individuals or families with per capita income less than the minimum income required to meet the basic food requirements, which satisfies nutritional requirements for economically necessary and socially desirable physical activities. Four in every 100 Antiqueño families are food-poor and need PHP9,589 monthly to meet their basic food needs. Tacogdoy said their survey result could be used as a guide by the local government units or policymakers in crafting a plan to improve the situation in Antique. Source: Philippines News Agency