By Ellalyn De Vera-Ruiz
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) on Monday, Aug. 17 said the decline in the number of Filipino families who consider themselves poor is an encouraging sign as the government continues to expand its social protection programs.
The statement came after the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey showed that self-rated poverty fell to 49 percent in June from 52 percent in March.
“The latest SWS survey showed that the Marcos Administration’s sustained investments in social protection and anti-poverty programs have helped poor families and vulnerable sectors address their immediate needs while improving their capacities to become self-sufficient,” DSWD Assistant Secretary and spokesperson Irene Dumlao said.
The second quarter 2026 SWS survey was conducted from June 20 to 29 among 1,200 adults nationwide.
“The decline in self-rated poverty is encouraging, and we will use it as a reference to continue strengthening our social protection programs focusing on human capital investments, sustainable livelihoods, food security, and community resilience,” Dumlao said.
DSWD cited the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), Walang Gutom Program (WGP), and Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) among the government initiatives aimed at addressing poverty and hunger.
The 4Ps provides conditional cash grants to poor families while supporting children’s health and education.
The WGP provides food assistance to food-poor families through electronic benefit transfer cards, while the SLP helps poor and vulnerable households develop livelihood opportunities and income-generating activities.
DSWD also cited its cash assistance under the government’s Unified Package for Livelihood, Industry, Food, and Transport (UPLIFT), which was rolled out to help vulnerable sectors cope with rising fuel costs amid tensions in the Gulf region.
In March, the agency began providing ₱5,000 each to transport sector workers severely affected by higher fuel prices.
About 1.8 million public utility vehicle drivers, Transport Network Vehicle Service drivers, motorcycle taxi drivers, and service delivery riders nationwide have received the cash assistance, according to the DSWD.
“The DSWD’s cash relief assistance is part of the efforts of the Marcos administration to help all vulnerable sectors under the Unified Package for Livelihood, Industry, Food, and Transport (UPLIFT),” Dumlao said.
For the second phase of the UPLIFT cash relief assistance, the DSWD has started distributing ₱2,000 each to 4.71 million poor, near-poor, and low-income Filipinos nationwide.
The beneficiaries are divided into three groups: Group 1 consists of 4Ps and WGP beneficiaries, while Group 2 covers poor and near-poor Filipinos who are not beneficiaries of either program and were identified through the 2024 Community-Based Monitoring System of the Philippine Statistics Authority.
Group 3 consists of 1.5 million low-income Social Security System members.
