Some 9.3 million Filipino families considered themselves as “mahirap” or poor in a recent survey, up from 8.7 million households who also rated themselves as such in February, the Social Weather Stations (SWS) said Tuesday following the release of the results of its second quarter survey.

The nationwide survey conducted from June 19 to 22 among 1,500 respondents found that 50 percent or 9.3 million Filipino families considered themselves poor.

Meanwhile, 27 percent of families perceived themselves in the borderline while 22 percent considered themselves as “hindi mahirap” or not poor.

The SWS said the new self-rated poverty index was three points higher from the February figure of 8.7 million families or 47 percent.

However, the latest figure was slightly lower than the 9.4 million Filipino families or 52 percent who rated themselves poor in December, 2008.

The SWS data showed that the increase in the number of poor Filipinos can be attributed to the “sharp” increase in poverty rates in Mindanao.

Self-rated poverty increased by 17 points in Mindanao, from 45 percent in February to 62 percent in June.

It rose slightly by two points in the rest of Luzon, from 42 percent in February to 44 percent in June.

Meanwhile, poverty rating declined by seven points in Metro Manila, from 49 percent in February to 42 percent in June, and by four points in the Visayas, from 60 percent in February to 56 percent at present.

Considering self-rated poverty in urban areas, it rose slightly from 43 percent to 44 percent, while it rose by five points in rural areas, from 53 percent to 58 percent.

As also shown in the survey results, 39 percent or 7.2 million Filipino households considered themselves as food-poor, while 33 percent put themselves on the food-borderline, and 28 percent considered themselves as not food-poor.

SWS explained that self-rated food poverty index has been “volatile” or unpredictable in five survey rounds.

Self-rated food poverty was recorded at 49 percent in June 2008, 38 percent in September 2008, 42 percent in December 2008, 36 percent in February 2009, and 39 percent in June 2009.

SWS also attributed the one-quarter rise in self-rated food poverty to the increase in the number of food-poor Filipinos in Mindanao.

The data showed that food poverty rating in Mindanao increased by 11 points, from 36 percent in February to 47 percent in June.

Likewise, it rose slightly by four points in the rest of Luzon, from 31 percent to 35 percent.

However, food poverty declined by seven points in Metro Manila, from 39 percent to 32 percent, and by three points in the Visayas, from 45 percent to 42 percent.

According to SWS, poverty thresholds in the country, or the monthly budget that poor households need in order not to consider themselves as poor, only showed that it remained “sluggish” or slow for several years despite the inflation.

“This indicates that poor families have been lowering their living standards, through belt-tightening,” SWS said.

As of June, median poverty threshold for poor households in Metro Manila stayed at P10,000, even though it had already reached as much as P15,000 several times in the past, SWS noted.

It cited that for those in Mindanao, the median poverty threshold stayed at P5,000, though it had already been at P10,000 before.

Meanwhile, median poverty threshold for poor households rose slightly to P8,000 in the Visayas, while it fell to P6,000 in the rest of Luzon.

In both areas, however, median poverty thresholds had also already reached P10,000 in the past.