Filipinos who experienced involuntary hunger up 22.9% in September —SWS

Around 22.9% of Filipino families experienced “involuntary hunger” or “being hungry and not having anything to eat” at least once in the past three months, according to the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey.

This hunger record in September is higher compared to the 17.6% reported in June.

“The September 2024 hunger figure was 5.3 points above the 17.6% in June 2024 and the highest since the record high 30.7% during the COVID-19 lockdowns in September 2020,” the SWS said.

“It is 13.1 points above the September 2023 hunger figure after four straight quarterly increases,” it added.

The SWS noted that the three-quarter hunger average for 2024 of 18.2% was 7.5 points higher than the annual hunger average in 2023 of 10.7%.

Areas

Hunger almost doubled in Mindanao from 15.7% to 30.7% as well as in Visayas from 13.7% to 26.0%, according to the SWS. Also, hunger in Metro Manila slightly increased from 20.0% to 21.7%.

On the other hand, hunger in Balance Luzon slightly decreased from 19.6% to 18.1%.

“The 22.9% hunger rate in September 2024 was the sum of 16.8% who experienced Moderate Hunger and 6.1% who experienced Severe Hunger,” the SWS said.

“Compared to June 2024, Moderate Hunger rose by 4.0 points from 12.8%, while Severe Hunger rose by 1.2 points from 4.9%,” it added.

“Moderate hunger” refers to those who experienced hunger “only once” or “a few times” in the last three months while “severe hunger” means they experienced it “often” or “always,” the SWS explained.

'Poor'

According to the SWS, hunger rises sharply among the poor, specifically those who were self-rated poor and self-rated food poor.

“The rate of Total Hunger (i.e., Moderate plus Severe) rose sharply among the Self-Rated Poor from 21.3% in June 2024 to 29.3% in September 2024…” the SWS said.

“The rate of Total Hunger also rose sharply among the Self-Rated Food-Poor from 23.0% in June 2024 to 34.5% in September 2024…” it added.

Conducted from September 14 to 23, the survey used face-to-face interviews with 1,500 adults nationwide including 600 in Balance Luzon, and 300 each in Metro Manila, the Visayas, and Mindanao.

Researchers asked household heads about the experience of their families with hunger and poverty. The exact phrasing of the survey questions was:

In the last three months, did it happen even once that your family experienced hunger and did not have anything to eat? (Yes, No)

If experienced hunger: Did it happen only once, a few times, often, or always?

The survey is non-commissioned and included on SWS’s initiative and released as a public service, according to the research institution.

According to SWS, the sampling error margins are ±2.5% for national percentages, ±4.0% for Balance Luzon, and ±5.7% each for Metro Manila, the Visayas, and Mindanao.

--VAL, GMA Integrated News