The Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) is pleased to present a webinar on October 8, from 2:00 to 4:30 pm, which will feature the PIDS research paper “Poverty, the Middle Class, and Income Distribution” authored by Dr. Jose Ramon G. Albert, Dr. Michael Ralph M. Abrigo, Dr. Francis Mark A. Quimba, and Ms. Jana Flor V. Vizmanos, senior research fellows and research specialist at PIDS, respectively.
The study simulated the likely effects of contractions in per capita income on poverty and the entire income distribution amid the COVID-19 pandemic. It found that in a medium-case scenario of declines of incomes by 10 percent across the entire income distribution, the number of poor Filipinos could increase by 5.5 million. However, with emergency financial subsidies (i.e., the social amelioration program and the small business wage subsidy in place) that targeted 90 percent of households, the worsening of poverty conditions can be managed so that only 1.5 million would fall into poverty. Tougher conditions of income contraction and a protracted recovery would mean a longer time for low-income Filipinos to move up the middle-income class.
The study also discussed various policy and data issues. It recommended the review of the official poverty measurement system, including the current use of income over expenditure as the poverty metric and the poverty-line-setting methodology, given the changes in income and expenditure patterns in the past decade (before the onset of COVID-19).
To join, kindly email Ms. Gwen de la Cruz, Ms. Rowena T. Taliping, and Ms. Rica Thea A. Ladaga at NdelaCruz@mail.pids.gov.ph, rtaliping@mail.pids.gov.ph, or RLadaga@mail.pids.gov.ph, respectively, on/or before October 5, 2020.
Once we receive your confirmation, our team will send you the guidelines of the virtual seminar two (2) days before the event. This will also be streamed live in on our Facebook account (facebook.com/PIDS.PH).
Webinar: Simulating the Impacts of COVID-19 on Poverty and Income Distribution in the Philippines
