The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) clarified that the latest poverty and food thresholds, which some have criticized as unrealistic, are not meant to serve as budget guidelines for a decent standard of living.
NEDA Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan said that these thresholds are part of a comprehensive framework used to evaluate the country's development progress and to assess the effectiveness of government policies and programs aimed at reducing poverty.
“They are not, and were never intended to be, prescribed budgets for a decent standard of living. They do not dictate how much a family should spend on food, nor do they provide an idea of a desirable household budget,” Balisacan said in a statement on Thursday, Aug. 15.
He further said that the poverty and food thresholds, along with other socioeconomic indicators, are key metrics that NEDA employs to assess the inclusiveness of the country's economic growth and to evaluate whether policies have effectively enhanced the well-being of the poor.
“Let me emphasize that poverty is more than just needing more income to meet these thresholds. Statistics help give us a sense of scale. Behind these statistics and tools are people living in a state of deprivation, struggling to get through each day with hopes and dreams for a better life,” the NEDA chief said.
Balisacan issued this statement following the criticism NEDA received after asserting that a household of five is only classified as “food poor” if each member spends less than P64 daily on meals. This indicates that an individual is not considered “food poor” if they have a budget of just over P20 for each of their three daily meals.