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| Photo by Philippine Daily Inquirer |
The partylist group Partido Manggagawa (PM) lambasted the PSA for its
poverty threshold of P10,481 for a family of five. “This threshold implies
malnourished Filipinos and a miserable standard of living,” averred Rene
Magtubo, PM national chair.
He added that “PSA’s threshold is similar to NEDA’s much maligned
P10,000 monthly budget for a family of five announced last year. In contrast,
our own cost of living survey found that a family of five in the National
Capital Region needs P1,300 daily or P39,000 monthly to live decently as
of May 2018.”
“PSA did not provide additional details for its poverty threshold. But
its food budget of P7,337 and P3,144 non-food budget contrasts with NEDA’s estimate
of P3,834 for food and P6,008 for non-food. Out of the P7,337 food budget of
PSA, we guess that P2,000 is allotted for rice. Such a budget can only buy
60 kilos of P32 NFA rice—which is hard to find in the market—for one month or 2
kilos per day to be shared by 5 people. This translates to just two cups (400g)
per person per day or around 500 calories, just a fraction of the recommended
daily calorie intake of 1,500-2,000. This means malnourished and stunted
workers and children,” explained Rene Magtubo, PM national chair.
In PM’s own study, P3,150 monthly are needed to buy daily 2.5 kilos of
the cheapest commercial rice at P42. Of the P39,000 monthly budget, 44% is
earmarked for food and 56% for non-food items. Utilities like electricity,
water and cooking gas make up 8%, house rent 15%, transportation expenses 11%
and education needs 13% of the total budget.
“Our cost of living study is in fact an underestimation as it does not
provide for leisure and recreation, savings or social security which should
comprise 10% as a standard or for a house help which is a necessity if the
government insists that both parents must work to sustain the family,” Magtubo
averred.
PM is calling for a substantial wage hike and national minimum wage as
promised by President Rodrigo Duterte. The group is supporting pending bills
calling for a national minimum wage of P750 to P800.
Magtubo insisted that “The focus now is on worsening inflation that has
eroded workers nominal wages. But hardly noticed is growing inequality due to
the stagnation of real wages while productivity is booming. From 2001 to 2016,
labor productivity grew by at least 50 percent, yet the real wages did not grow
at all. Workers have been denied their fair share in the fruits of
production.”
Cost of Living Estimate
for a family of 5 living in NCR (May 2018)
|
Items
|
Volume/Cost
|
Daily
Cost
|
Monthly
Cost
|
%
share
|
|
Food & Beverages
|
|
|
17,446.50
|
44.33
|
|
rice
|
2.5kg/day x P42 (sinandomeng)
|
105
|
3,150
|
|
|
ulam & gulay
|
3 servings (P82/pax/day x 5 pax)
|
410
|
12,300
|
|
|
seasoning
|
2kg onion (P97/kilo),
1kg garlic (P110/kilo)
|
10.13
|
304
|
|
|
fruits
|
4kg x P60 (banana)
|
8
|
240
|
|
|
cooking oil
|
2 liters x P106
|
7.07
|
212
|
|
|
sugar
|
2kg x P56.25
|
3.75
|
112.5
|
|
|
soy sauce
|
1 liter P42
|
1.40
|
42
|
|
|
vinegar
|
1 liter P34.50
|
1.15
|
34.50
|
|
|
fish sauce
|
1 liter P53
|
1.77
|
53
|
|
|
coffee
|
2 (100g) x P76.25
|
5.08
|
152.50
|
|
|
milk
|
3 (900g) x P282
|
28.20
|
846
|
|
|
Utilities
|
|
|
3,358
|
8.53
|
|
electricity
|
200kwh (P10.90/kwh)
|
72.67
|
2,180
|
|
|
water
|
20cu.m. (P23.95/cu.m)
|
15.97
|
479
|
|
|
LPG
|
1 cylinder
|
23.30
|
699
|
|
|
House rental
|
|
|
6,000
|
15.25
|
|
|
1 month rent
|
200
|
6,000
|
|
|
Toiletries
|
|
|
1,027.05
|
2.61
|
|
soap
|
6 bars (135g) x P40.50
|
8.10
|
243
|
|
|
shampoo
|
2 (180ml ) x P101.90
|
6.79
|
203.80
|
|
|
sanitary napkins
|
3 (packs of 8) x P42.75
|
4.28
|
128.25
|
|
|
toothpaste
|
2 (150ml) x P77.50
|
5.17
|
155
|
|
|
laundry soap
|
24 (70g pack) x P5.50
|
4.40
|
132
|
|
|
deodorant
|
2 (40ml) x P82.50
|
5.50
|
165
|
|
|
Education
|
|
|
5,170.83
|
13.14
|
|
miscellaneous fees
|
3 pax x P750 = P2250/schoolyear
|
6.25
|
187.50
|
|
|
school allowance
|
100 x 2 pax & 50 x 1 pax/day x 22 days x 10 months = P55,000/yr
|
152.78
|
4583.33
|
|
|
theatre tickets
|
1 ticket x P200/grading x 4 periods x 3 pax/schoolyear = P2,400
|
6.67
|
200
|
|
|
school projects
|
2 subjects x P100
/grading x 4 periods x 3 pax = P2,400/schoolyear
|
6.67
|
200
|
|
|
Health
|
|
|
450
|
1.14
|
|
ascorbic acid
|
5 (1 tablet ascorbic acid generic) X P3
|
15
|
450
|
|
|
Communications
|
|
|
1,500
|
3.81
|
|
phone or cellphone
|
at least P25/day load x 2
|
50
|
1,500
|
|
|
Transpo expenses
|
|
|
4,400
|
11.18
|
|
fare to and from work
|
2 pax x P100/day x 22days
|
146.67
|
4,400
|
|
|
Total
|
|
P1,311.77
|
P39,352.38
|
|
NOTES:
1. Family
is composed of a couple with 3 children. Children are all in public
schools (2 HS level and 1 elementary), school supplies, work books expenses,
internet use for research are not yet included
2. Basket
does not include bill for a house-help
3. Utilities
such as electricity and water vary from time to time depending on consumption
4. No
item for leisure/recreation
5. Health
budget does not include medical expenses
6. No
budget allotted for savings. NWPC basket provides
10% of the total
April 11, 2019
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