How gov't arrived at P64-a-day threshold that keeps one from being ‘food-poor’

The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) on Tuesday revealed that to be considered not “food poor” the amount spent on food per person, in a typical family of five, should not fall below P64.

The amount was arrived when you divide the monthly food threshold of P9,581 for a family as of 2023 to the approximate number of days per month or 30 days.

But is such an amount enough to cover the nutritional needs of every member of a Filipino family?

GMA News Online sought Philippine Statistics Authority chief Claire Dennis Mapa to explain how the government arrived at the threshold.

“This amount was arrived at after costing the menu for breakfast, lunch, and dinner (prepared by nutritionist) that will give the required energy and nutrients,” Mapa said.

Based on the per capita food threshold data from PSA, the sample food bundle covering breakfast, lunch, and dinner would provide 100% energy, 123% protein , 119% calcium, 80% iron, 131% Vitamin A, 88% Thiamin, 80% Riboflavin, 249% niacin, and 106% Vitamin C.

The sample breakfast was composed of scrambled egg, coffee with milk, and boiled rice or corn mix.

For lunch, the sample was boiled monggo with malunggay and dried dilis, banana, and boiled rice or corn mix.

For dinner, the sample food bundle consisted of fried fish or boiled pork, vegetable dish, and boiled rice or corn mix.

“The menu is based on a least-cost method approach, meaning the lowest possible cost to arrive at the menu,” Mapa said.

“So the food is assumed to be prepared at home (not purchased in stores outside). In addition, the food threshold is based on minimum basic needs,” he added.

NEDA Secretary Arsenio Balisacan, during the Senate hearing, said that the agency is changing the threshold based on inflation so they can monitor if the policies of the government on poverty are effective.

“The reason we are keeping it constant, in real terms after adjusting for inflation, is just to ensure that we are tracking the changes properly and allow us to understand whether our policies, our programs are working insofar as these are able to reduce poverty," Balisacan said.

This prompted the senators to urge the NEDA to review their threshold to ensure that the poverty forecast is accurate.

The NEDA chief said the revisiting of the food basket will consider the food preferences, the relative prices of goods, among others. —NB, GMA Integrated News