SWS: Hunger hits new high of 30.7%

MANILA, Philippines — The number of Filipino families that experienced involuntary hunger rose to a new record-high in September, the Social Weather Stations (SWS) said in its latest mobile phone survey.

The SWS Sept. 17-20 poll found 30.7 percent, or an estimated 7.6 million households, which experienced having nothing to eat at least once.

This was higher than the 23.8 percent in March 2012, the pollster said.

The 30.7 percent hunger rate consisted of 22 percent or an estimated 5.5 million families who experienced moderate hunger and 8.7 percent (or about 2.2 million families) who experienced severe hunger.

Moderate hunger refers to those who experienced hunger “only once” or “a few times” in the last three months.

Meanwhile, severe hunger pertains to those who experienced it “often” or “always” in the last three months.

By area, overall hunger rose in the Visayas from 27.2 percent (about 1.3 million families) in July 2020 to a new record-high 40.7 percent (around 1.9 million families) in September 2020.

It rose in Mindanao, up from 24.2 percent (an estimated 1.4 million families) in July 2020 to a new record-high 37.5 percent (approximately 2.1 million families) in September 2020.

In Metro Manila, it increased from 16.3 percent (about 546,000 families) in July 2020 to a new record-high 28.2 percent (around 941,000 families) in September 2020.

It went up in balance Luzon from 17.8 percent (around two million families) in July 2020 to 23.8 percent (about 2.6 million families) in September 2020.

Overall hunger rose among households of non-elementary graduate respondents from 35.6 percent to 47.7 percent, among households of elementary graduate respondents, from 26.8 percent to 35.9 percent, among households of junior high school graduate respondents, from 20.9 percent to 30.9 percent, and among households of college graduate respondents from 8.9 percent to 15.8 percent.

The SWS nationwide poll was conducted using mobile phone and computer-assisted telephone interviewing of 1,249 adult Filipinos, 18 years old and above.

According to SWS, the hunger trend has been rising since May 2020.

It was up by 9.8 points from 20.9 percent in July 2020, by 14 points from 16.7 percent in May 2020, and by a total of 21.9 points from 8.8 percent in December 2019.