Fewer Filipino families have experienced involuntary hunger during the last quarter of 2015, according to the latest survey of the Social Weather Stations.
The SWS said this latest results bring the full-year average rate to its lowest point in 11 years in 2015.
The SWS survey was conducted on Dec. 5 to 8 among 1,200 adults nationwide, with sampling error margins of ±3 points for national percentages and ±6 points each for Metro Manila, “Balance Luzon,” Visayas and Mindanao.
The SWS latest survey noted that 11.7 percent of respondents, estimated at 2.6 million families, had said they experienced having had nothing to eat at least once in the past three months.
This was a four-point drop from 15.7 percent, estimated at 3.5-million families, compared to the results in September last year.
SWS said 2015’s average hunger rate of 13.4 percent is 4.9 points below the 2014 average of 18.3 percent and was the lowest annual average hunger rate since 2004’s 11.8 percent average.
The SWS said overall hunger last quarter consisted of the following:
• the 8.9 percent, or an estimated two-million families, who experienced “moderate hunger”—or lacked food to eat “only once” or “a few times” in the last three months—5.2 points down from September’s 14.1 percent that was equivalent to 3.1-million families; and
• the 2.8 percent, equivalent to 621,000 families, who experienced “severe hunger”—or had nothing to eat “often” or “always” in the last three months—1.2 points more than September’s 1.6 percent, or about 361,000 families.
In last week’s results, the SWS said that “self-rated poverty” among Filipino families steadied at 50 percent in the last quarter, similar to the 50 percent in the September survey, while those who rated themselves poor in terms of food—labelled the “food-poor”—declined by two points to 33 percent from 35 percent previously.
“The four-point fall in hunger rate amid the steady self-rated poor and the two-point decline in self-rated food-poor proportions, between September and December 2015, was due to falling hunger among both the poor and the ‘not poor/on the borderline’,” according to the SWS’ latest report.
It noted that, from September to December, overall hunger (“moderate” plus “severe”) fell by 6.5 points among the self-rated poor, to 14.4 percent from 20.9 percent and eased by 1.6 points among the “not poor/on the borderline” segment to 9.0 percent from 10.6 percent.
SWS also noted that hunger fell by 5.2 points among the self-rated “food-poor” to 19.4% from 24.6% and eased by three points among the “not food-poor/food-borderline” to 7.9% from 10.9%.
“At any one point in time, hunger among the self-rated food-poor is always greater than hunger among the self-rated poor,” SWS noted.
By geographical location, hunger eased in all areas, except the Visayas, to post:
• 17% in Metro Manila, equivalent to some 513,000 families, 1.3 points below September’s 18.3% (an estimated 553,000 families). The national capital’s 16.6% average last year was just 0.6 of a point more than 2014’s average that, in turn, was equal of 2006’s rate and the lowest since 2005’s 14.4% average.
• 9.7% in “Balance Luzon” (equal to June 2011’s rate and the lowest since December 2004’s 9.0%), or about 952,000 families, that was five points down from September’s 14.7% (1.4 million families). The 2015 average hunger rate for this area is 12.4%, 6.9 points below the 19.3% average of 2014 and the lowest since 2004’s 9.4%.
• 13% in Mindanao (equal to September 2011 and the lowest since February 2009’s 11.7%), or 658,000 families, that was down 8.7 down points from September’s 21.7% (1.1 million families). Mindanao’s 2015 average hunger rate of 15.8% is 3.4 points below the 19.2% average of 2014 and the lowest since 2005’s 13.3%.
Hunger in the Visayas edged up two points to 11.3% or an estimated 484,000 families from September’s 9.3% (399,000 families).
The 2015 average Visayas “hunger rate” of 10.8% is 5.8 points below the 16.6% average of 2014 and is the lowest since 2003’s 4.5%.
Malacanang, on the other hand, said the government is determined to sustain the gains it achieved in terms of addressing poverty and hunger.
“Government is determined to sustain the gains achieved in terms of addressing poverty and hunger. That is why the biggest slice of the 2016 budget was alloted to social protection and human development,” said Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr.
The Department of Budget and Management earlier said that social services accounted for P1.106 trillion or 36.8% of the P3.002-trillion 2016 budget.
Coloma cited the Aquino administration’s Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program conditional cash transfer, as well as skills training that could have helped reduce the number of Filipino families experiencing involuntary hunger. Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said that last week, the SWS announced similar overall declines in self-rated poverty and food poverty, with the annual averages for both series”•50% and 35%—now at their lowest levels since 2011 and 1988, respectively.”
Lacierda said, as the north star of the current administration, inclusive growth has long been guiding the government in its various endeavors. “The main goal is to include everyone in the nation’s rise,” he said. “In line with this, the Aquino government has been making valuable investments in such sectors as health, education, social services, and job skills development. These priorities are reflected in our 2016 budget. In addition, poverty-alleviation initiatives like the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) program continue to empower our citizens toward achieving their full potential,” he said.