Poverty and living standards in Central Luzon (Region III), Philippines: official figures
5.7% of families in Central Luzon lived below the poverty line in 2023 (official poverty statistics), against 10.9% of families nationally; it ranks 4th lowest of 17 regions for poverty.
Is poverty falling in Central Luzon?
Family poverty in Central Luzon fell from 8.3% in 2021 to 5.7% in 2023, by 2.6 percentage points; nationally it moved from 13.2% to 10.9%.
Source: Philippine Statistics Authority · saved copyHow has poverty in Central Luzon changed since 2018?
Since 2018, when 5.2% of families in Central Luzon were poor, the rate has risen by 0.5 percentage points to 5.7% in 2023; the national rate went from 12.1% to 10.9%.
Source: Philippine Statistics Authority · saved copyWhat is the poverty line in Central Luzon?
The official poverty line in Central Luzon was ₱38,510 a year per person in 2023 (about ₱3,209 a month); the national line was ₱33,296 a year, and Central Luzon ranks the highest of 17 regions for the level of the line.
Source: Philippine Statistics Authority · saved copyHow many people in Central Luzon are in the poorest fifth?
In the 2022 National Demographic and Health Survey 5.2% of people in Central Luzon were in the poorest fifth of the national wealth index, and 33.3% were in the richest fifth (a country-wide split would be 20% each); it ranks 2nd lowest of 17 regions for the poorest fifth.
Source: Philippine Statistics Authority and ICF (The DHS Program) · saved copyHow many homes in Central Luzon have earth or bamboo floors?
1.6% of households in Central Luzon lived in homes with rudimentary floors (earth, wood plank, palm or bamboo) in 2022, against 11.3% nationally; it ranks the lowest of 17 regions.
Source: Philippine Statistics Authority and ICF (The DHS Program) · saved copyHow many households in Central Luzon cook with clean fuel?
85.8% of households in Central Luzon cooked with clean fuel (such as electricity or LPG) in 2022 (national: 59.5%); it ranks 2nd highest of 17 regions.
Source: Philippine Statistics Authority and ICF (The DHS Program) · saved copyHow Central Luzon (Region III) compares with other regions
People in the poorest fifth of the national wealth index (2022)
Central Luzon (Region III) ranks 16 of 17, highest first. Western Visayas and Central Visayas still include Negros in this source. Survey estimate with a margin of error.
| Rank | Region | People in the poorest fifth of the national wealth index |
|---|---|---|
| 11 | Davao Region (Region XI) | 23.7% |
| 12 | Cagayan Valley (Region II) | 14.6% |
| 13 | Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) | 12.4% |
| 14 | Ilocos Region (Region I) | 8.9% |
| 15 | CALABARZON (Region IV-A) | 5.5% |
| 16 | Central Luzon (Region III) | 5.2% |
| 17 | National Capital Region (NCR) | 0.8% |
Households cooking with clean fuel (2022)
Central Luzon (Region III) ranks 2 of 17, highest first. Western Visayas and Central Visayas still include Negros in this source. Survey estimate with a margin of error.
| Rank | Region | Households cooking with clean fuel |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | National Capital Region (NCR) | 96.7% |
| 2 | Central Luzon (Region III) | 85.8% |
| 3 | CALABARZON (Region IV-A) | 84.1% |
| 4 | Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) | 77.0% |
| 5 | Ilocos Region (Region I) | 57.9% |
| 6 | Central Visayas (Region VII) | 55.8% |
| 7 | Cagayan Valley (Region II) | 53.1% |
Poverty incidence among families (2023)
Central Luzon (Region III) ranks 14 of 17, highest first. The Negros Island Region, created in 2024, is not listed; Western Visayas and Central Visayas exclude Negros in this table.
| Rank | Region | Poverty incidence among families |
|---|---|---|
| 11 | Western Visayas (Region VI) | 9.8% |
| 12 | Ilocos Region (Region I) | 8.4% |
| 13 | Cagayan Valley (Region II) | 7.2% |
| 14 | Central Luzon (Region III) | 5.7% |
| 15 | CALABARZON (Region IV-A) | 5.3% |
| 16 | Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) | 4.4% |
| 17 | National Capital Region (NCR) | 1.1% |
Change in family poverty incidence, 2021 to 2023 (percentage points) (2021-2023)
Central Luzon (Region III) ranks 12 of 17, highest first. The Negros Island Region, created in 2024, is not listed; Western Visayas and Central Visayas exclude Negros in this table.
| Rank | Region | Change in family poverty incidence, 2021 to 2023 (percentage points) |
|---|---|---|
| 9 | Western Visayas (Region VI) | -2.3 |
| 10 | Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) | -2.5 |
| 11 | Ilocos Region (Region I) | -2.6 |
| 12 | Central Luzon (Region III) | -2.6 |
| 13 | SOCCSKSARGEN (Region XII) | -3.9 |
| 14 | Cagayan Valley (Region II) | -4.5 |
| 15 | Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) | -4.5 |
Annual per capita poverty threshold (2023)
Central Luzon (Region III) ranks 1 of 17, highest first. The Negros Island Region, created in 2024, is not listed; Western Visayas and Central Visayas exclude Negros in this table.
| Rank | Region | Annual per capita poverty threshold |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Central Luzon (Region III) | ₱38,510 |
| 2 | National Capital Region (NCR) | ₱37,711 |
| 3 | CALABARZON (Region IV-A) | ₱37,096 |
| 4 | Central Visayas (Region VII) | ₱34,553 |
| 5 | Ilocos Region (Region I) | ₱34,454 |
| 6 | Bicol Region (Region V) | ₱33,575 |
| 7 | Northern Mindanao (Region X) | ₱33,513 |
More on Central Luzon (Region III): overview · economy and jobs · health · education and schools · government budget · the Philippines
Sources
- Philippine Statistics Authority and ICF (The DHS Program): 2022 Philippines National Demographic and Health Survey: selected national and regional indicators (DHS Program API), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 401a0e9d6912…)
- Philippine Statistics Authority: Official poverty statistics, Table 1: Annual Per Capita Poverty Threshold and Poverty Incidence Among Families with Measures of Precision, by Region and Province: 2018, 2021 and 2023 (OpenStat table 0011F3DF010, CSV export), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 5a5a465011bf…)
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