Based on the preliminary results of the 2023 Full Year Official Statistics, the average amount required for a family of five to meet their basic food needs for a month, known as the food threshold, was PhP 9,110 in 2023. This represents a 12.8 percent increase compared to the food threshold recorded in 2021. Additionally, the average amount needed to meet both basic food and non-food needs of a family of five in a month, referred to as the poverty threshold, was PhP 12,705 in 2023. This indicates a 13.1 percent increase in the poverty threshold compared to the 2021 figure.

The food threshold is the minimum income required to meet the basic food needs that satisfy nutritional requirements based on the Recommended Energy and Nutrient Intake (RENI), ensuring that individuals remain economically and socially productive. The poverty threshold, on the other hand, is the minimum income required to meet both basic food and non-food needs, such as clothing, fuel, light and water, housing, rental of occupied dwelling units, transportation and communication, health and education expenses, non-durable furnishings, household operations, and personal care and effects.

However, the poverty incidence among Marinduqueño families in 2023 was estimated at 8.5 percent, down by 7.1 percentage points compared to the 15.6 percent recorded in 2021. This means that approximately 8.5 percent of families in Marinduque experienced income levels below the poverty line.

The poverty incidence among individuals in Marinduque also declined to 13.2 percent in 2023, compared to 22.1 percent in 2021. This indicates that approximately 13.2 percent of the population in Marinduque experienced income levels below the poverty line.

The subsistence incidence among Marinduqueño families in 2023 was estimated at 1.3 percent, representing the proportion of families whose incomes fall below the food threshold. While this figure marks a significant decrease from the 3.1 percent recorded in 2021, it highlights the ongoing challenges faced by some families in meeting their basic food needs.

Furthermore, the subsistence incidence among Marinduqueños was estimated at 2.0 percent in 2023, down from 4.9 percent in 2021. This indicates that a small but notable proportion of Marinduqueños are living below the food threshold, struggling to meet their basic needs, often referred to as the food-poor population.

These poverty-related statistics as results of the 2023 Family Income and Expenditure Survey (FIES) also produced statistics such as the income gap, poverty gap, and severity of poverty. The income gap measures the average income required by the poor to escape poverty,expressed relative to the poverty threshold. The poverty gap refers to the income shortfall (as a proportion of the poverty threshold) of families with income below the poverty threshold, divided by the total number of families. The severity of poverty is the total of the squared income shortfall (as a proportion of the poverty threshold) of families with income below the poverty threshold, divided by the total number of families. This measure is sensitive to income distribution among the poor— the worse the distribution, the more severe the poverty. On average, the incomes of poor families in 2023 fell short by 16.4 percent of the poverty threshold, highlighting the financial hardships experienced by those below the poverty line.

(SGD) GEMMA N. OPIS
Chief Statistical Specialist
PSA PSO Marinduque

GNO/SJRDLC