Fukunari Kimura: This paper uses the Annual Poverty Indicators Survey in the Philippines in 2011, calculates a multidimensional poverty index (MPI) by following the Alkire-Foster methodology, and conducts some regression analyses with the background household-level data. MPI includes three dimensions by following the concept of the Human Development Index, which are education, health, and the standard of living. It is proved to provide much richer information on the nature of poverty and its geographical dimension than a simplistic income poverty indicator.
The Alkire-Foster methodology has recently become popular for capturing the multifaceted nature of poverty. Three major indicators, education, health, and the standard of living, further consist of several sub-indicators with assigned weights, which makes the MPI informative and comprehensive. Education and health comprise three sub-indicators each, and standard of living contains many that present various aspects of a person's lifestyle.
Although the methodology itself is not original to the...