Poverty rises in Quezon despite sharp regional decline

By Nimfa L. Estrellado-Laurino DSWD personnel discuss assistance with mothers and caregivers during a community gathering in General Nak...

By Nimfa L. Estrellado-Laurino

DSWD personnel discuss assistance with mothers and caregivers during a community gathering in General Nakar, Quezon. (ATAN)

LUCENA CITY, Quezon — Family poverty incidence in Quezon Province rose to 8.0 percent in 2025, the highest in CALABARZON, even as the regional rate declined substantially. Approximately 47,300 families remained below the poverty threshold, accounting for more than one-third of the region's poor families during a year of provincial economic expansion.

Figures from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), highlighted on November 11, showed that CALABARZON's family poverty incidence fell to 2.7 percent in 2025 from 5.3 percent in 2023. The findings, released on October 28, also showed that the estimated number of poor families regionwide declined from 226,670 to 127,410.

The PSA explained that family poverty incidence measures the proportion of families whose incomes are insufficient to meet minimum food and non-food requirements. Its regional estimate indicated that approximately three out of every 100 families remained below the poverty threshold.

“Nangangahulugan ito na humigit-kumulang 3 sa bawat 100 pamilya sa CALABARZON ang may kita na hindi sapat upang matugunan ang kanilang pinakamababang pangangailangan sa pagkain at iba pang pangunahing pangangailangan batay sa poverty threshold,” the PSA said.

Quezon's latest figures interrupted its earlier improvement, when family poverty incidence declined from 16.3 percent in 2021 to 6.9 percent in 2023. The estimated number of poor families fell from 89,040 to 39,010 during that period before increasing by approximately 8,290 in 2025.

Batangas registered the lowest family poverty incidence at 0.9 percent, followed by Cavite at 1.2 percent, Rizal at 2.7 percent, and Laguna at 3.1 percent. The provincial figures showed substantial differences in poverty conditions across CALABARZON despite the overall regional improvement.

The PSA's provincial breakdown also identified Quezon as having the largest estimated number of poor families in the region. Its findings provided a clearer picture of the province's poverty burden relative to neighboring provincial economies.

“Sa mga lalawigan ng CALABARZON, ang antas ng pamilyang masasabing mahirap ay nasa 0.9 porsyento sa Batangas, 1.2 porsiyento sa Cavite, 3.1 porsiyento sa Laguna, 8.0 porsiyento sa Quezon, at 2.7 porsiyento sa Rizal, noong 2025. Sa kabuuan, ang lalawigan ng Quezon ang nagtala ng pinakamataas na bilang ng pamilya na masasabing mahirap na nasa 47.30 na libo,” the PSA added.

Separate PSA data showed that Quezon's economy expanded by 4.8 percent in 2025, with provincial economic output reaching approximately ₱251.02 billion. The increase coincided with higher family poverty incidence, although the figures do not establish how economic gains were distributed among households.

More recent PSA figures showed inflation among Quezon's bottom 30 percent income households rising to 8.3 percent in October 2026 from 7.8 percent in September. These figures reflect subsequent changes in consumer prices and do not establish the factors behind the province's poverty increase in 2025.

The provincial government, under Governor Angelina “Helen” Tan, has implemented agricultural assistance, livelihood development, skills training, and healthcare initiatives under its HEALING Agenda. These include the STAN Kabuhayan program and agricultural support activities, with farming organizations in Gumaca receiving agricultural inputs on November 7.

The programs provide assistance to beneficiaries in agriculture and small enterprises, although their effects on household poverty have not been established by available reports. The latest statistics offer a reference point for assessing future changes in household economic conditions and evaluating provincial interventions.

Meanwhile, CALABARZON's average monthly poverty threshold for a family of five increased to ₱16,324 in 2025 from ₱15,457 in 2023, representing a 5.6 percent rise. The threshold reflects the estimated minimum income required to meet essential food and non-food needs during the respective periods.

The PSA statistics provide national agencies and local governments with updated information for directing resources and evaluating poverty reduction programs. For Quezon, future measurements and verified program outcomes will help determine whether economic expansion and development initiatives are accompanied by sustained improvements in household welfare.