SWS:Hunger Rises to 18.4%

About 3.3 million Filipino families or 18.4 percent went hungry at least once in the last three months, a recent survey by the Social Weather Stations (SWS) showed.

The latest figure on hunger is higher than the 16.3 percent recorded in the June 2008 survey, the SWS said.

The latest hunger record is also six points above the 10-year average of 12.3 percent, and is the highest in the four quarters after the record-high 21.5 percent in September 2007, according to the Third Quarter 2008 Social Weather Survey, fielded over Sept. 24 to 27.

The non-commissioned survey found that moderate hunger, referring to those who experienced it “only once” or “a few times” in the past three months, rose from 12.1 percent (estimated 2.2 million families) in June to 15.2 percent (estimated 2.7 million families) in September.

“The latest score is six points above the 10-year average moderate hunger rate of nine percent. The few who did not state their frequency of hunger were also placed in this category,” the SWS said.

On the other hand, severe hunger, referring to those who experienced it “often” or “always” in the last three months, went from 4.2 percent (about 760,000 families) in June to 3.2 percent (about 580,000 families) in September.

“The new rate is equal to the 10-year average severe hunger rate of 3.3 percent,” the SWS said.

SWS said the hunger average of 2008 is 16.8 percent, only slightly lower than the 2007 average of 17.9 percent.

The measure of hunger refers to involuntary suffering because the respondents answer a survey question that specifies hunger due to lack of anything to eat.

SWS explained that the rise in total hunger by two points between June and September resulted from a three-point increase in moderate hunger, combined with a one-point decline in severe hunger.

Hunger incidence in the last quarter was highest in Metro Manila and lowest in the Visayas, the SWS said.

The number of households experiencing hunger has been highest in Metro Manila for the past two quarters, with the latest figure at 23 percent (estimated 560,000 families).

It is now 20 percent (estimated 1.6 million families) in balance Luzon, 18.3 percent (estimated 750,000 families) in Mindanao, and 11.7 percent (estimated 420,000 families) in the Visayas.

Overall hunger rose by eight points in Luzon outside Metro Manila, from 12.3 percent in June to 20 percent in September. It rose by one point in Metro Manila, from 22 percent to 23 percent, and by about one point in Mindanao, from 17.7 percent to 18.3 percent.

It declined by eight points in the Visayas, from 19.7 percent in the previous quarter to 11.7 percent now.

Moderate hunger rose by eight points in balance Luzon, from 8.3 percent in June to 16.5 percent in September, and by three points in Mindanao, from 13.3 percent to 16 percent.

It declined by five points in the Visayas, from 16.3 percent to 11.3 percent, and by one point in Metro Manila, from 16 percent to 15 percent.

In all areas, the latest moderate hunger rates remain higher than their 10-year averages, the survey firm said.

Meanwhile, SWS said severe hunger went down in areas outside Metro Manila.

It declined by three points in the Visayas, from 3.3 percent to 0.3 percent, by two points in Mindanao, from 4.3 percent to 2.3 percent, and by less than one point in balance Luzon, from four percent to 3.5 percent.

It rose by two points in Metro Manila, from six percent in June to eight percent in September.

“The latest severe hunger figures remain higher than their 10-year averages in all areas except Visayas, where its latest score of 0.3 percent was well below its 10-year average of 3.1 percent,” the SWS said.

SWS said survey questions about household hunger are directed to the household head, using the phrase “experienced hunger, and did not have anything to eat.”

The September survey used face-to-face interviews of 1,500 adults divided into random samples of 300 each in Metro Manila, Visayas, and Mindanao, and 600 in balance Luzon.

Sampling error margins of plus or minus 2.5 percent for national percentages and plus or minus six percent for Metro Manila, Visayas, and Mindanao, and plus or minus four percent for balance Luzon were applied in the survey.