08 April 2025, Cebu City – The Officer-in-Charge and Regional Director of the Philippine Statistics Authority – Region 7, Wilma A. Perante, sat down with Sugbo News to discuss the latest data on Poverty Statistics in Central Visayas, based on the results of the 2023 Family Income and Expenditures Survey (FIES).
During the interview, RD Perante explained that the poverty threshold refers to the minimum income required by a family or individual to meet their basic food and non-food needs. She stressed that the government uses this threshold to classify families as either poor or non-poor, depending on whether their income falls below or above the set threshold.
RD Perante shared that data from the 2023 FIES revealed a notable increase in the average family income in Cebu. From an annual income of Php264,268.00 in 2021, it rose to Php293,380.00 in 2023.
Moreover, the region saw a significant improvement in the reduction of the proportion of poor families in the province of Cebu. In 2021, 22.8 percent of families were classified as poor. By 2023, this figure dropped to 11.7 percent, reflecting a decrease in the proportion of families living below the poverty line.
“In 2021, approximately 243,000 families in Cebu were classified as poor. By 2023, this number significantly decreased to 131,000 families, indicating that 112,000 families have moved above the poverty threshold,” RD Perante added.
According to RD Perante, this improvement is closely linked to the increase in household income, as reflected in the 2023 FIES. The FIES identifies various sources of income that contribute to a family’s total earnings. These include salaries and wages, income from family-operated enterprises, imputed rental values of owned dwellings, interests, rentals, pensions, as well as support, gifts, social programs received from the government, and other receipts from family sustenance activities. She emphasized that any form of government assistance—whether in cash or in kind—is included in the computation of a family's total income.
On the other hand, RD Perante reminded the public to remain vigilant against the spread of fake news and misinformation, especially when it comes to interpreting statistical data.
“We strongly encourage the public to rely only on official government sources for information. For PSA data, we have designated platforms and social media accounts where we publish official statistics,” she said.
She also urged the public to reach out directly to the Philippine Statistics Authority for clarifications or questions regarding the interpretation of data.
“The PSA is the official government agency mandated to produce statistics. If you have any concerns of the data, please do not hesitate to contact us,” she added.”
As the primary source of official statistics in the country, PSA 7 remains committed to delivering accurate, timely, and relevant data that serve as critical tools for evidence-based policymaking. Through continued collaboration with media partners like Sugbo News, PSA aims to promote data literacy among the public and strengthen trust in official statistics.