More Filipinos experienced involuntary hunger in June–SWS

Filipinos experiencing involuntary hunger increased to 3.4 million families, according to the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey.

The results of the second quarter survey, first published in BusinessWorld, showed that 15.2 percent of 1,200 respondents experienced hunger in June this year, up from 13.7 percent or 3.1 million families in April.

Of the number, 13.2 percent (around 3 million families) experienced “moderate hunger” while two percent (446,000 families) experienced “severe hunger.”

Moderate hunger is defined by SWS as involuntary hunger experienced “only once” or “a few times” in the last three months while severe hunger refers to those who experience hunger “often” or “always” for the same period.

While severe hunger was lower in June (from 2.1 percent in April), moderate hunger rose by 1.6 percentage points to 13.2 percent from only 11.6 percent in April.

READ: SWS: Half a million Pinoys hungrier

The question SWS used for its June 24 to 27 poll was, “Nitong nakaraang tatlong buwan, nangyari po ba kahit minsan na ang inyong pamilya ay nakaranas ng gutom at wala kayong makain? (“In the last 3 months, did it happen even once that your family experienced hunger and not have anything to eat?).”

Based on geographical areas, more people from the National Capital Region (17 percent) experienced hunger as compared to the rest of Luzon (15.3 percent), Visayas (15.7 percent) and Mindanao (13.3 precent).

Reports of hunger rose in most areas except Mindanao where it dropped by 5.7 percentage points from 19 percent in April. CDG/rga

READ: Prioritize fight vs child malnutrition, Duterte urged