A Family of Five in CAR Needs P7,000 Monthly Income

In 2007, a family of five in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) should have an income of at least P6,967* per month to meet basic food and non-food needs. A family of five residing in an urban area should be earning at least P7,465 per month or 10.1 percent more than the requirement of P6,713 per month in a rural area. The National Statistical Coordination Board pegs the annual per capita poverty threshold in CAR for all areas at P16,721 for this year.

Basic food requirements are currently based on a 100% adequacy for the Recommended Energy and Nutrient Intake (RENI) for protein and energy equivalent to an average of 2000 calories per capita, and 80% adequacy for other nutrients.

On the other hand, basic non-food requirements, indirectly estimated by obtaining the ratio of food to total basic expenditures from a reference group of families, cover expenditures on the following:

•  clothing and footwear;
•  housing;
•  fuel, light and water;
•  maintenance and minor repairs;
•  rental of occupied dwelling units;
•  medical care;
•  education;
•  transportation and communication;
•  non-durable furnishings;
•  household operations; and
•  personal care and effects.

As per the 2000 Census conducted by the National Statistics Office (NSO), the average size of a family in CAR is 5.2 members.

*Note: This is obtained by multiplying P16,721 by 5 (persons in a family of 5) and dividing the product by 12 (months in a year).

Page last updated: January 14, 2010