The involuntary hunger among Filipino families has risen to 10.4 percent in June 2023 from the 9.8 percent recorded in the previous month, according to the latest survey conducted by Social Weather Stations (SWS).
The results of the SWS Q2 2023 survey also indicated that the June 2023 hunger was lower than the 11.8 percent logged in December 2022.
In terms of areas, Metro Manila had the highest record of families who have experienced involuntary hunger or being hungry and not having anything to eat – at least once in the past three months at 15.7 percent.
This was followed by Balance Luzon at 11.3 percent, Visayas at 9.3 percent, and Mindanao at 6.3 percent.
Moderate and Severe hunger
Of the 10.4 percent hunger rate in June 2023, SWS said 8.3 percent were families who experienced moderate hunger and 2.1 percent who experienced severe hunger.
Moderate hunger or those who experienced hunger once or few times in the last three months was highest in Metro Manila with 12.0 percent.
Trailing Metro Manila was Balance Luzon with 8.3 percent, Visayas with 8.3 percent, and Mindanao with 6.0 percent.
Meanwhile, servere hunger or families who often and always experience not having anything to eat in the past three months was also high in Metro Manila with 3.7 percent.
Balance Luzon had 3.0 percent severe hunger, Visayas with 1.0 percent, and Mindanao with 0.3 percent.
Hunger rises among self-rated non-poor
SWS said the June 2023 survey also found that overall hunger among non-poor had significant increase, from 3.9 percent in March 2023 to 10.3 percent in June 2023.
"However, it fell among the Self-Rated Poor, from 15.4% to 10.8%," it added.
Overall hunger rate also swelled for non-food-poor, from 4.3 percent in March 2023 to 10.8 percent in June 2023.
"However, it fell significantly among the Self-Rated Food-Poor, from 18.5% to 9.4%," the SWS noted.
The SWS Q2 2023 poll was conducted from July 28 to July 1 with 1,500 adults interviewed nationwide.
Six hundred adults in Balance Luzon participated, and 300 each in Metro Manila, the Visayas, and Mindanao.
Each adult were asked of the question: "Nitong nakaraang tatlong buwan, nangyari po ba kahit minsan na ang inyong pamilya ay nakaranas ng gutom at wala kayong makain?".
