MANILA, Philippines - Hunger incidence in the country is at its highest since President Arroyo took over the presidency in 2001, according to the latest survey by the Social Weather Stations (SWS).
An estimated 4.4 million households or a new record high of 24 percent experienced involuntary hunger at least once in the past three months, the Fourth Quarter 2009 Social Weather Survey showed.
SWS, which conducted the survey from Dec. 5 to 10, said the latest hunger rate surpassed the previous record-high incidence of 23.7 percent in December 2008.
“The measure of hunger refers to involuntary suffering because the respondents answer a survey question that specifies hunger due to lack of anything to eat,” the SWS said.
The survey also found that 46 percent or an estimated 8.5 million families consider themselves “Mahirap” or “Poor,” and 39 percent or an estimated 7.1 million consider themselves “Food-Poor.”
SWS said the 5.2-point increase in Overall Hunger between October 2009 and December 2009 resulted from a 4.3-point increase in Moderate Hunger, combined with a one-point increase in Severe Hunger.
Moderate Hunger, which refers to those who experienced it “Only Once” or “A Few Times” in the last three months, went from 15 percent (estimated 2.8 million families) in October to 19.3 percent (estimated 3.6 million families) in December.
Severe Hunger, which refers to those who experienced it “Often” or “Always” in the last three months, rose from 3.8 percent (about 700,000 families) in October to 4.7 percent (estimated 870,000 families) in December.
The new survey also showed that Hunger incidence rose in all areas.
It said Overall Hunger rose by 11 points in Metro Manila, from 16 percent (estimated 394,000 families) in October to 27 percent (estimated 665,000 families) in December 2009.
Self-rated poverty and food-poverty eased in most areas except Mindanao.
The survey revealed that the Self-rated Poverty Threshold, or the monthly budget that poor households need in order not to consider themselves poor, has remained sluggish for several years despite considerable inflation.
“This indicates that poor families have been lowering their living standards, i.e., belt-tightening,” it said.
Based on the new SWS survey, a family in Metro Manila must now earn P12,000 per month to surpass poverty/hunger. In 2000, P7,491 per month was needed to overcome poverty.
On the other hand, median food poverty threshold of P7,000 in Metro Manila is equivalent to only P4,590 in base year 2000 purchasing power for food, SWS said.
The Consumer Price Index has risen 60 percent since 2000.
The non-commissioned survey used face-to-face interviews of 2,100 adults divided into random samples of 300 in Metro Manila and 600 each in balance Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. - With Marvin Sy