LUCENA CITY (PIA) — Quezon Province has seen a significant decline in poverty, with over 250,000 individuals and 50,000 families lifted out of poverty between 2021 and 2023, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
PSA data show that poverty incidence among families dropped from 16.3 percent in 2021 to just 6.9 percent in 2023. This means, the number of poor families fell from 89,040 to 39,010 in just two years. This marks a 9.4 percentage point reduction, translating to approximately 50,030 families that were lifted out of poverty over the two-year period.
On an individual level, poverty incidence declined from 21.6% (493,000 people) in 2021 to 10.2% (237,700 people) in 2023, translating to 255,300 individuals no longer classified as poor.
PSA poverty statistics also shows that in 2023, a family of five in Quezon needed at least ₱12,108 per month to meet their minimum basic food and non-food needs.
The PSA emphasized that these figures indicate more Filipino families are recovering from the negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, including job losses that affected household incomes.
According to the PSA, various factors contribute to increase or decrease in poverty levels, such as inflation, employment opportunities, and household income.
Emerose Dalwampo, PSA Quezon’s Statistical Specialist, also cited government programs as contributors to lifting Filipinos out of poverty.
“Kung titingnan natin, malaki rin ang naitulong ng mga programa ng gobyerno tulad ng Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, TUPAD, at Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation na maiangat ang mga Pilipino mula sa kahirapan,” Dalwampo said.
Meanwhile, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Calabarzon welcomed the positive development, highlighting how their programs have supported Quezon families.
Although he did not directly attribute the decline in poverty solely to DSWD’s social protection programs, DSWD Region IV-A Regional Information Officer Joseph Arceo acknowledged that their initiatives have contributed in some way.
“We cannot assess exactly how much we have contributed at this moment due to lack of baseline data. However, we like to believe that every time we serve, we help meet the needs of our beneficiaries, allowing them to function normally and contribute to the economy,” Arceo explained.
As of November 2024, there are 94,629 families enrolled in the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), with 20,058 now classified as self-sufficient. Since 2021, 14,172 families have graduated from the program.
DSWD also continues implementing the Sustainable Livelihood Program helping low-income communities earn a stable living and improve their quality of life. (FC, PIA4A)
