SWS: Hunger affects 3.3 million families

abs-cbnNEWS.com |

Hunger hit a new record high in September with some 3.3 million Filipino families going hungry at least once in the last three months, according to the latest Social Weather Stations survey released Monday.

The SWS survey, conducted from September 24-27, showed that 18.4 percent or 3.3 million families experienced hunger in the past three months. The figure is six points above the ten-year average of 12.3 percent and is the highest in the four quarters after the record-high 21.5 percent in September 2007.

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

The research firm said severe hunger incidence, referring to families who go hungry "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 ten-year average Severe Hunger rate of 3.3 percent.

Moderate hunger, referring to those who experienced it "only once" or "a few times" in the last 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 ten-year average Moderate Hunger rate of 9.0 percent.

More Metro households going hungry

SWS said more hunger incidence has been highest in Metro Manila for the past two quarters, with the latest figure at 23 percent or an estimated 560,000 families. Hunger incidence is now at 20 percent or an estimated 1.6 million families in Balance Luzon, 18.3 percent or an estimated 750,000 families in Mindanao, and 11.7 percent or an 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.

In all areas, the latest Moderate Hunger rates remain higher than their ten-year averages.

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 2 points in Mindanao, from 4.3 percent to 2.3 percent, and by less than 1 point in Balance Luzon, from four percent to 3.5 percent.

It rose by 2 points in Metro Manila, from six percent in June to eight percent in September.

The latest Severe Hunger figures remain higher than their ten-year averages in all areas except Visayas, where its latest score of 0.3 percent was well below its ten-year average of 3.1 percent.