MANILA, Philippines — About 3.4 million Filipino families experienced involuntary hunger in the past three months, according to the Social Weather Stations (SWS)’s June 2021 poll.
The nationwide survey, taken from June 23 to 26, found 13.6 percent or an estimated 3.4 million families experienced involuntary hunger – having lack of food to eat – at least once in the past three months.
The 13.6 percent hunger rate was the sum of 11.5 percent or an estimated 2.9 million families who experienced “moderate hunger” and 2.1 percent or about 524,000 families who experienced “severe hunger.
Moderate hunger refers to those who experienced hunger “only once” or “a few times” in the last three months, while severe hunger pertains to those who experienced it “often” or “always” in the last three months.
The June 2021 hunger rate was 3.2 points below the 16.8 percent or around 4.2 million families in May 2021, the SWS said.
It was also 7.5 points below the 2020 annual average of 21.1 percent but still above the December 2019 pre-pandemic level of 8.8 percent or an estimated 2.1 million families.
Hunger incidence dropped in all areas, especially in the Visayas, according to SWS.
Compared to May 2021, the incidence of hunger fell by eight points in the Visayas, from 16.3 percent or about 776,000 families to 8.3 percent or around 396,000 families.
This was the lowest hunger rate registered in the region since six percent in September 2018.
It dropped by 5.7 points in Mindanao, from 20.7 percent or an estimated 1.2 million families to 15 percent or approximately 863,000 families.
Hunger incidence also declined by 0.7 points in balance Luzon, from 15.7 percent or about 1.8 million families to 15 percent or around 1.7 million families.
It likewise fell by 0.7 points in Metro Manila, from 14.7 percent or about 496,000 families to 14 percent or around 473,000 families.
The survey was conducted using face-to-face interviews of 1,200 adults, 18 years old and above.