Notes

It is not surprising that every administration tries to improve the image of the country in spite of severe problems, but sometimes it seems insulting because of the excess.

An example is the changes made to the way poverty rates are estimated. One of the changes is the minimum food composition of those in Metro Manila so that a family is not considered poor.

In the previous measure, the food threshold for breakfast was tomato cake, fried rice, coffee for adults and milk for children. In the new measure, what should be served for breakfast is fried eggs, coffee with milk and rice. The milk for the children is gone.

Many also lost to the new measure for lunch, snack and dinner. Because of these changes, the equivalent nutrients from what Filipinos eat have decreased for countless poor people. The poverty income threshold or the amount a family of five members must earn to not be counted as poor was also lowered, from the previous P7,953.00 to P7,017.00.

Due to these changes, the number of poor families decreased from 4.9 million to 3.9 million, and the number of poor citizens decreased by one million – from 24.1 million to 23.1 million.
It is not surprising that every administration tries to improve the image of the country in spite of severe problems, but sometimes it seems insulting because of the excess.

An example is the changes made to the way poverty rates are estimated. One of the changes is the minimum food composition of those in Metro Manila so that a family is not considered poor.

In the previous measure, the food threshold for breakfast was tomato cake, fried rice, coffee for adults and milk for children. In the new measure, what should be served for breakfast is fried eggs, coffee with milk and rice. The milk for the children is gone.

Many also lost to the new measure for lunch, snack and dinner. Because of these changes, the equivalent nutrients from what Filipinos eat have decreased for countless poor people. The poverty income threshold or the amount a family of five members must earn to not be counted as poor was also lowered, from the previous P7,953.00 to P7,017.00.

Due to these changes, the number of poor families decreased from 4.9 million to 3.9 million, and the number of poor citizens decreased by one million – from 24.1 million to 23.1 million.

In my view, any metric change will not solve the problem. Even 23.1 million people living in poverty is still a huge number. I discuss this topic not to criticize the government but to show that poverty is a challenge that all Filipinos must face.

The first step to solving poverty is to accept that it is a national problem. With a sick person, no physician can do anything until a patient accepts that he is sick.

Instead of embellishing the picture of poverty by manipulating the metrics, the government should focus on projects that will create jobs, that will raise the standard of living of every Filipino family and in the end will truly reduce the number of poor

In my view, any metric change will not solve the problem. Even 23.1 million people living in poverty is still a huge number. I discuss this topic not to criticize the government but to show that poverty is a challenge that all Filipinos must face.

The first step to solving poverty is to accept that it is a national problem. With a sick person, no physician can do anything until a patient accepts that he is sick.

Instead of embellishing the picture of poverty by manipulating the metrics, the government should focus on projects that will create jobs, that will raise the standard of living of every Filipino family and in the end will truly reduce the number of poor