(Malnutrition/hunger. Stock image from INQUIRER)
MANILA, Philippines – A Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey revealed the number of Filipino families who faced involuntary hunger at least once in the last three months dropped to 9.8 percent in September 2023.
The figure dipped below the 10.4 percent reported in June 2023.
It remained consistent with the data recorded in March of the same year.
The involuntary hunger rate refers to the percentage of Filipino families who experienced hunger or those who did not have anything to eat at least once in the past three months.
The pollster said in September 2023, hunger fell in Visayas and ‘Balance Luzon’ (or areas in Luzon outside Metro Manila).
The numbers, however, rose slightly in Metro Manila and Mindanao.
The incidence of hunger was highest in Metro Manila at 17.3 percent, followed by Balance Luzon at 10.3 percent, and both Visayas and Mindanao at 6.7 percent.
“The 9.8 percent Hunger rate in September 2023 was the sum of 8.4 percent who experienced Moderate Hunger and 1.3 percent who experienced Severe Hunger,” the pollster said.
SWS explained families categorized under “moderate hunger” have experienced hunger “only once” or “a few times” within the last three months.
‘Severe hunger’ pertains to individuals who have consistently faced it ‘often’ or ‘always’ during the same period.
SWS likewise found the overall hunger rate declined among persons who rated themselves as poor, dropping from 10.8 percent in June 2023 to 7.7 percent in September 2023.
Hunger also decreased among individuals who considered themselves ‘food-poor,’ going from 9.4 percent to 7 percent during the same period.
The September 28 to October 1 survey was conducted through face-to-face interviews with 1,200 adults in Metro Manila, Balance Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.
The survey’s sampling error margins are ±2.8% for national percentages and ±5.7% each for Metro Manila, Balance Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.