MANILA, Philippines — An estimated 11.6% or 2.9 million Filipino families experienced involuntary hunger at least once in the past three months, according to the latest non-commissioned report by the Social Weather Stations (SWS).
The latest estimate, while 0.6 points lower than the 12.2% or 3.1 million families logged in the previous quarter, is still 1.6 points more than the 10% or around 2.5 million families estimated in September last year.
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The 2.9 million estimate is also 2.3 points more than the pre-pandemic annual average of 9.3% recorded in 2019.
“The experience of hunger is highest in Metro Manila at 14.7% of families, followed by Mindanao at 14.0%, Balance Luzon (or Luzon outside Metro Manila) at 11.9% and the Visayas at 5.7%,” the SWS said in a statement dated September 10.
SWS said its second quarter survey was done from June 26 to 29, 2022 through face-to-face interviews.
Participants for the study totaled 1,500 adult Filipinos aged 18 years old and beyond from across the country, with 300 participants each in Metro Manila, Visayas, and Mindanao and 600 respondents from other Luzon regions.
Around 9.4% or 2.4 million families who experienced “moderate hunger,” which means they experienced hunger once or “a few times” in the last three months, make up most of the 11.6% national hunger rating recorded in June 2022.
Meanwhile, around 2.1% or 560,000 families that have experienced “severe hunger,” or those who said they were “often” or “always” hungry, made up for the remaining number.