Philippines hunger rate hits record low

MANILA, Philippines – The country’s self-rated hunger rate fell to 10.6 percent in the third quarter of 2016, the lowest recorded in over 12 years, according to the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey.

The September poll showed 10.6 percent or an estimated 2.4 million families who claimed to have experienced involuntary hunger at least once, down by 4.6 points from June’s 15.2 percent or about 3.4 million families.

It is also the lowest recorded since the 7.4 percent recorded in March 2004.

The survey was conducted from Sept. 24 to 27, using face-to-face interviews of 1,200 adults nationwide.

The overall hunger rate is composed of 9.1 percent (an estimated 2.1 million families) who experienced “moderate hunger” and 1.5 percent (an estimated 329,000 families) who experienced “severe hunger.”

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

Severe hunger, on the other hand, refers to those who experience having nothing to eat “often” or “always” in the last three months.

SWS said both “moderate” and “severe” hunger eased between June and September.

Hunger rate in Metro Manila dropped to 7.3 percent (an estimated 225,000 families) from 17 percent (estimated 521,000 families). It is the lowest rate in the area in over 12 years, since June 2004’s 7.3 percent, the SWS noted.

In balance Luzon, hunger rate fell to 11.7 percent (estimated 1.2 million families) from 15.3 percent (estimated 1.5 million families), the lowest since December 2015 when it logged 9.7 percent.