SWS: Hunger rises again; 4.3M families go hungry

Hunger is on the rise again, with 4.3 million families – representing one in five households or 21.5 percent – saying they experienced having nothing to eat in the last three months, according to a new survey by Social Weather Stations. The SWS, which published on Thursday the results of its September 4–7 poll on its media partner BusinessWorld, noted sharp increases of hunger in Luzon, overwhelming the declines noted in the rest of the country. It said the rise was 7.5 points above the 13-year average of 14 percent, and the worst so far for the Aquino administration. Also, the 21.5-percent hunger rate was much higher than the four-year low of 15.1 percent in June, and a point worse than 20.5 percent in March. Still, the SWS noted this is below the 24 percent recorded in December 2009 during the Arroyo administration. Moderate, severe hunger worsen The moderate and severe hunger components of the overall score worsened, with moderate hunger up nearly five points to 18 percent (3.6 million families) and severe hunger gaining 1.5 points to 3.5 percent (713,000 families). Both were also above the 13-year averages, the SWS said. “Moderate" refers to experiencing having nothing to eat “only once" or “a few times" in the last three months, while “severe" involves going hungry “often" or “always." Overall hunger climbed sharply in Balance Luzon (Luzon minus Metro Manila), hitting a record 28.3 percent (2.5 million families) from 9.7 percent previously. The previous peak of 25% was hit in March this year. Overall hunger was also 10 points up in Metro Manila to 23 percent (647,000 families). The surge in the two regions overwhelmed an 8.7-point decline in Mindanao to 13 percent (620,000 families) and a slightly smaller 5.7-point improvement in the Visayas to 15.3 percent (587,000 families). Moderate hunger Moderate hunger hit a record 24.3 percent in Balance Luzon, up 16.6 points from June and surpassing the previous peak of 18.7 percent in March 2011. The latest level is 14 points above the 13-year average of 10.3 percent. Moderate hunger also rose by 5.4 points in Metro Manila, rising to 16.7 percent in September from 11.3 percent in June and returning to the level of March 2011. It was down nine points in Mindanao to 11.0 percent and fell by 5.3 points in the Visayas to 13.0 percent. The SWS said the latest moderate hunger rates are higher than their 13-year averages in all areas except Mindanao. Severe hunger Severe hunger, meanwhile, was highest in Metro Manila, rising by 4.6 points to 6.3 percent. This was the highest since December 2009’s 7.3 percent and 2.8 points above the 13-year average of 3.5 percent. It rose by two points in Balance Luzon, to 4.0 percent (above the 13-year average of 3.0 percent), and by 0.3 points in Mindanao to 2.0 percent (below the 13-year average of 4.2 percent). Severe hunger was down in the Visayas to 2.3 percent from 2.7 percent in June, below the 13-year average of 3.2 percent for the region. The survey polled 1,200 adults nationwide. Error margins of ±3% for national and ±6% for area percentages applied to the survey. — LBG, GMA News