PH hunger rate lowest in 10 years

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MANILA – According to the recent Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey, the number of Filipinos who experienced involuntary hunger has reached the lowest rate since May 2005.

The SWS survey, which was conducted from June 5 to 8, showed that 12.7% of respondents or about 2.8 million families experienced involuntary hunger in the past quarter. Last year’s hunger incidence in the same quarter yielded 16.3%.

Of the 12.7% experiencing involuntary hunger, 10.8% or about 2.4 million families experienced ‘moderate hunger’ or hunger felt ‘once’ or ‘a few times’ in the last three months, while 1.9% or 431,000 families experienced ‘severe hunger’ or hunger felt ‘often’ or ‘always’ in the said months.

The SWS survey showed that the last three hunger surveys showed easing from the September 2014’s 22% hunger incidence.

In the geographical regions, however, the result varied.

The number of Filipinos who experienced involuntary hunger rose in Metro Manila with 18.3% and in Visayas with 11.7%. The hunger incidence in Mindanao remained with 14.3% and decreased in the rest of Luzon with 10.7%.