New poverty threshold at P46 unrealistic, unacceptable – KMU

Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) criticized the Aquino government’s revision of poverty methodology which lowered the poverty threshold from P52 to P46 per day.

The new poverty methodology released by the National Statistical Coordination Board (NCSB) last Wednesday artificially reduced the number of poor by a significant 5.3 million compared to the old methodology.

KMU said that it may be used to undermine labor sector’s calls for higher wages, while reflects the government’s miserable and backward view on the real condition of the Filipinos.

“The government even more proved that it is disillusioned on the real picture of the plight of the Filipinos. At present, P46 is just equivalent to a single meal. That means anyone who eats more than 1 meal can already be considered not poor. A worker could pay up to P30 for a single journey ticket under the proposed new MRT fare, which would already eat up the P46 poverty threshold,” said Roger Soluta, KMU secretary general.

“How the government came up with and accepted this standard only implies that it is contented on what majority of the Filipinos is experiencing—hungry and with barely enough money for their other basic needs,” Soluta added.

“We are not surprised that President Aquino did not include P125-across-the-board wage increase in his list of priority bills which the labor sector has been calling for so long,” Soluta said.

“The lower poverty threshold is even more unacceptable considering the skyrocketing prices of oil, fare and basic commodities and services,” Soluta added.

“Twisting the standards will not hide the very obvious realities of hunger, unemployment, below-survival wage level, homelessness and landlessness. We will not stop clamoring for higher wages and for decent living,” Soluta concluded.