The Philippines has 146 cities whose  population continues to grow more rapidly  than the national population. Urban areas  are highly varied, ranging from urban  barangays in otherwise rural areas to large  conurbations or cities. This will shape the  nature of risk faced by the urban poor,  which arises from the relative accessibility  and affordability of safe land and different  levels of exposure to hazards. Poverty,  being a multidimensional phenomenon, is a significant driver of climate and disaster risk. 

Poor-quality shelter, inadequate community  infrastructure, and insecure livelihoods mean  that the urban poor are less able to prepare  for shocks and stresses and more likely to be  adversely affected. The Philippine Statistics  Authority estimated poverty incidence at  16.7% (or 17.7 million Filipinos) in 2018,  down from 23.5% in 2015. Poverty incidence  in urban areas also declined from 13.2%  (6.3 million people) in 2015 to 9.3%  (5.0 million people) in 2018. However, in  the first semester of 2021, overall poverty  incidence reverted to approximately  2015 levels or 23.7% (26.14 million  Filipinos) due to the coronavirus disease  (COVID-19) pandemic. 

In 2015, cities with higher urban population  levels had a lower poverty incidence on  average. Fifty-eight cities with very high  urban population levels (more than 80%  of the population living in urban areas)  had an average poverty incidence of 9.4%. 

By contrast, the 11 cities with the lowest  level of urban population (20% or less living  in urban areas) had an average poverty  incidence of 23.5%. Although poverty  incidence is relatively lower in highly  urbanized cities such as those in Metro.