TACLOBAN CITY – A family of five in this city requires at least P13,665 in monthly gross income to live decently, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
This amount remains unattainable for many families in the city, including that of Gladys Leporada, 43, who depends on the incomes of her husband and eldest son.
Leporada’s husband, Neil, 45, works as a carpenter, while her son, Ryan, 19, is employed at a fast-food chain in the city.
Their combined monthly income is just over P11,000, but this is only when Neil has work, as there are times he is unemployed.
“Our income barely meets our daily needs. Sometimes I have to take extra jobs to help my husband and son bring food to our table,” Leporada said.
As a mother of seven, Leporada offers ‘hilot’ (massage) services in their neighborhood, earning P200 per person. Most of their expenses go towards food and daily necessities. Fortunately, her family owns their home.
According to the PSA, a family of five in Tacloban needs at least P13,665 in monthly gross income to avoid being classified as ‘poor.’
Wilma Perante, PSA regional director, stated in a media conference on Tuesday, July 23, that falling below this amount places a family within the poverty threshold in Tacloban, the regional center of Eastern Visayas.
“So, if in a family, there are two who are working with a combined monthly gross income of P13,665 and above, they are considered to be outside the poverty threshold,” she said during the ‘Kapihan sa Bagong Pilipinas’ of the Philippine Information Agency.
An ordinary wage earner in the city has a daily income of P405, based on the current minimum wage.
Perante also reported that the cost of living in the city remains quite affordable, with the current inflation rate for the first semester of the year.
“As of June this year, the inflation rate of the region is at 4.0 percent, while that of Tacloban is only 3.6 percent. So, we cannot really say that our cost of living is expensive,” she said.
Meanwhile, the poverty incidence in the region as of the first quarter of the year is at 26.19 percent, meaning 26 out of 100 families are classified as poor.
This is an improvement from last year’s 28.9 percent. The decline in poverty incidence can be attributed to the region’s good economic performance.
The PSA reported that the region’s economy grew by 6.8 percent last year, with a total value of P492.9 billion, sourced from agriculture (P60 billion), industry (P199.8 billion), and services (P232.4 billion). (JOEY A. GABIETA)
