Self-rated poverty, hunger rise in Q2 – OCTA

MANILA, Philippines —  The number of poor and hungry Filipinos increased in the second quarter of the year, an OCTA Research survey showed.

The July 4 to 11 poll found that 39 percent of respondents rated their families as poor, up from 35 percent in March.

The hunger incidence rate rose to 21 percent from 17 percent in March.

Those who said their families were not poor dropped from 24 percent to 18 percent.

Seventy-nine percent of respondents said they did not experience hunger in the past three months, down from 83 percent.

Self-rated poverty was highest among those in Mindanao at 58 percent (from 56 percent), while hunger incidence was highest among those in balance Luzon at 27 percent (from 16 percent).

Self-rated poverty in Metro Manila dropped to 18 percent from 21 percent, while hunger incidence in the Visayas declined to 17 percent from 26 percent.

“The coexistence of high hunger incidence in selected regions and comparatively low levels in others points to localized differences in household food access and vulnerability. These patterns may reflect differences in prices, employment conditions, household income stability and exposure to short-term disruptions,” OCTA said.