PSA Aklan survey maps poverty beyond income

KALIBO, Aklan — The Philippine Statistics Authority’s Aklan Provincial Statistical Office is conducting the 2026 Annual Poverty Indicators Survey among selected households to collect data on the living conditions and well-being of Aklanon families.

The APIS is a nationwide, household-based survey that generates non-income indicators related to poverty.

The Family Income and Expenditure Survey measures household income and spending to estimate poverty. The APIS complements the FIES by examining other dimensions of poverty and providing a broader assessment of Filipino families’ quality of life.

The APIS collects data on housing characteristics and ownership, school attendance and educational assistance, health and nutrition, and children’s vaccination status.

It also covers loans and credit sources, benefits from selected social protection programs, community safety and access to government services.

Other topics include the participation of children ages 0 to 4 in Early Childhood Care and Development programs, parenting practices, food security, disaster preparedness and recovery, the incidence of nonsexual harassment and violence, and use of the National ID.

The data will help produce indicators for monitoring the country’s progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goal 1 on ending poverty, Goal 6 on clean water and sanitation, and Goal 16 on peace, justice and strong institutions.

The PSA said APIS data will also support the computation and monitoring of the country’s Multidimensional Poverty Index, which measures deprivation beyond income. Nationwide data collection is scheduled from July 8 to 31, 2026, with results targeted for release on June 30, 2027. The national agency approved the survey in June.

Peter S. Mangilog, officer in charge of PSA Aklan, said the survey recognizes that poverty extends beyond income alone.

“A family may have an income above the poverty threshold but still experience deprivation in education, health, housing, or access to basic services. By measuring these dimensions, APIS provides a more comprehensive picture of poverty and helps guide the formulation of evidence-based policies and programs that improve the lives of Filipino families,” Mangilog said.

Preliminary results from the 2024 APIS showed that more than half, or 53.1%, of Filipino families had access to safely managed drinking water from an improved source.

Another 44.4% had access to basic drinking water from an improved source with a round-trip collection time of no more than 30 minutes.

The proportion of families with access to limited drinking water service declined from 1.3% in 2022 to 0.9% in 2024.

The survey also found that access to basic sanitation increased from 84% of families in 2022 to 84.7% in 2024.

Access to limited sanitation declined from 10.8% to 10.1% over the same period, while about 93.6% of Filipino families had access to a handwashing facility in 2024. The PSA released the preliminary water, sanitation and hygiene findings in June 2025.

PSA Aklan urged all selected households to participate and provide complete and truthful information.

Under Section 26 of Republic Act 10625, individual information provided in PSA surveys is considered privileged communication and is inadmissible as evidence in any proceeding.

The law allows the PSA to release aggregated summaries and statistical tables that do not identify individual respondents. Republic Act 10625 also requires PSA personnel to protect confidential information.