About 10.4% of Filipino families experienced involuntary hunger, that is, being hungry and not having anything to eat at least once in the past three months, according to the latest Social Weather Survey (SWS).
The SWS reported that the June 2023 Hunger figure was higher than the 9.8% in March 2023. However, it was lower than the 11.8% in December 2022.
The SWS presented the results of a survey conducted from June 28 to July 1, 2023, using face-to-face interviews of 1,500 adults (18 years old and above) nationwide: 600 in Balance Luzon, and 300 each in Metro Manila, the Visayas, and Mindanao.
The hunger rate of 10.4% was the sum of 8.3% who experienced Moderate Hunger and 2.1% who experienced Severe Hunger.
Moderate Hunger as defined by the SWS are those who experienced hunger “Only Once” or “A Few Times” in the last three months while Severe Hunger refers to those who experienced it “Often” or “Always” in the previous three months.
Hunger incidence rises in Metro Manila
As of June 2023, the experience of hunger was highest in Metro Manila at 15.7%, followed by Balance Luzon (or Luzon outside Metro Manila) at 11.3%, the Visayas at 9.3%, and Mindanao at 6.3% of families.
The 0.6-point rise in Overall Hunger between March 2023 and June 2023 was due to increases in Metro Manila and Balance Luzon, combined with a steady percentage in the Visayas and a sharp decline in Mindanao.
Moderate hunger, severe hunger figures
Compared to the previous survey on hunger conducted in March 2023, Moderate Hunger was lower from 8.6% to 8.3% while Severe Hunger rose from 1.2% to 2.1%.
In Metro Manila, Moderate Hunger rose by 2.3 points from 9.7% in March 2023 to 12.0% in June 2023, while Severe Hunger rose by 2.7 points from 1.0% to 3.7%.
In Balance Luzon, Moderate Hunger rose by 0.6 points from 7.7% to 8.3%, while Severe Hunger rose by 2.0 points from 1.0% to 3.0%.
In the Visayas, Moderate Hunger fell by 0.7 points from 9.0% to 8.3%, while Severe Hunger hardly moved from 0.7% to 1.0%.
In Mindanao, Moderate Hunger rose by 3.3 points from 9.3% to 6.0%, while Severe Hunger fell by 2.0 points from 2.3% to 0.3%.
Self-rated non-poor, self-rated poor
The latest SWS survey found that 45% of Filipino families rating themselves as Mahirap or Poor, 33% rating themselves as Borderline, and 22% rate themselves as Hindi Mahirap or Not Poor.
In terms of hunger and based on the quality of food eaten by their families, the June 2023 survey showed that 34% of families rating themselves as Food-Poor, 38% rating themselves as Food Borderline (by placing themselves on the horizontal line dividing Food-Poor and Not Food-Poor), and 29% rate themselves Not Food-Poor.
The rate of Overall Hunger rose sharply among the Non-Poor (Not Poor and Borderline Poor) from 3.9% in March 2023 to 10.3% in June 2023. However, the figure decreased among the Self-Rated Poor, from 15.4% to 10.8%.
The rate of Overall Hunger also rose among the Non-Food-Poor from 4.3% in March 2023 to 10.8% in June 2023. However, it fell significantly among the Self-Rated Food-Poor, from 18.5% to 9.4%. — BAP, GMA Integrated News
