BULACAN – Peasant leaders criticized the administration of Ferdinand Marcos Jr. following the release of a new survey showing that approximately 14.4 million Filipino families now consider themselves poor. This accounts for 52 percent of all families in the country.

“From then until now, poverty and hunger have remained emblems of Marcos’s brand of leadership,” said Danilo Ramos, chairperson of Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas and senatorial candidate under the Makabayan coalition.

The Social Weather Stations (SWS) report revealed a sharp rise in hunger among self-rated poor families, increasing from 26.4 percent in February to 35.6 percent in March 2025.

Ramos described the SWS survey result as a clear indicator of the Marcos administration’s failure to address poverty and economic inequality. He emphasized that hunger and hardship remain constant under the current leadership.

Cathy Estavillo, secretary general of Amihan National Federation of Peasant Women and second nominee of Gabriela Partylist, stressed that women farmers continue to be among the hardest hit by the ongoing crisis. “Peasant women continue to face discrimination and are denied government support. In times of crisis, they are the first to suffer from hunger and income loss,” she said.

She also raised concerns over ongoing land-use conversions and land-grabbing practices, which have displaced many farming families. “The loss of farmlands has pushed farmers further into poverty, especially women who rely on agriculture for their livelihood,” Estavillo added.

While the Marcos administration recently celebrated the drop in inflation to 1.8 percent in March 2025, the lowest in five years, Ramos and Estavillo argued that this figure is misleading. They pointed out that inflation falling does not mean prices are decreasing, only that they are increasing at a slower rate.

“A 1.8 percent inflation rate still means prices are rising, and many Filipinos continue to struggle with the high cost of living,” Ramos said. He also noted that the 8.7 percent inflation experienced in January 2023 has yet to be offset.

Estavillo added that rising production costs hurt small businesses and that most households still lack savings. This limits investment capacity and may slow long-term economic growth.

Both leaders cited the country’s underdeveloped economy as the root of persistent poverty and inflation. Ramos explained that foreign monopolies and political elites dominate the economy, and that the Marcos administration has failed to strengthen vital sectors such as agriculture and manufacturing.

According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, agriculture now contributes only 7.8 percent to the gross domestic product, while manufacturing accounts for 17.3 percent. These are among the lowest levels recorded in recent decades, leaving the country heavily dependent on imports and foreign investment.

Estavillo added that many workers remain in vulnerable jobs. Data from Ibon Foundation shows that around 42 percent of employed Filipinos work in the informal sector without benefits or legal protection. Although the minimum wage in the National Capital Region has increased to P645, the real wage based on 2018 prices is only P518, far below the P1,225 daily family living wage.

Ramos and Estavillo urged the government to implement genuine land reform, invest in local production, and end policies that prioritize imports over supporting Filipino farmers.

“We need land reform, subsidies for local producers, and a reversal of import-dependent strategies that are hurting our farmers,” Ramos stated.

“Women farmers must also be recognized and supported. They play a crucial role in food production and deserve proper aid,” Estavillo added.

The peasant leaders warned that the worsening poverty crisis cannot be resolved by superficial economic numbers or by appeasing foreign interests. “Genuine economic development can only be achieved through land reform, national industrialization, and social justice,” Ramos concluded. (AMU, RVO)