SWS: While poverty ratio drops, hunger rate goes up

While the poverty ratio in the Philippines dropped at the end of 2011, the hunger rate during the same period went up slightly, pollster Social Weather Stations (SWS) said. The survey found that those who claimed to have nothing to eat went up from 21.5 percent in September last year to 22.5 percent in December. SWS said the one-point increase could indicate that some 4.5 million families experienced "involuntary hunger" in December, compared to 4.1 million families in September.   The results of the SWS survey, conducted from December 3 to 7 last year, were published on its media partner BusinessWorld on Monday. The SWS’ December poll used face-to-face interviews of 1,200 adults nationwide. Sampling error margins of ±3% for national and ±6% for area percentages applied to the survey. Severe hunger   The survey showed that severe hunger rose in all areas except in Metro Manila, where it fell by 1.3 points to 5 percent. The SWS noted that severe hunger nationwide — where hunger is experienced “often” or “always”  rose by 1.2 percent to 4.7 percent (equivalent to around 955,000 families). The SWS said the increase offset the 0.3-point fall of moderate hunger - having nothing to eat “only once” or “a few times” to 17.7 percent (equivalent to around 3.57 million families). In Balance Luzon, it went up by two points to 6 percent, just short of the record high. In the Visayas, it went up by less than 1 percent to 3 percent. In Mindanao, it went up by 1.7 points to 3.7 percent.   SWS said the latest severe hunger rates were higher than their 13-year averages in Metro Manila and Balance Luzon but were lower in the Visayas and in Mindanao. Also, the SWS said hunger among self-rated poor families increased to 33.6 percent from 27.9 percent.   The SWS added that among households rating themselves as food-poor (down to 36 percent from 41 percent), hunger also rose to 38.1 percent from 31.1 percent.   Moderate hunger   Meanwhile, moderate hunger fell by 7.3 points in Balance Luzon to 17 percent. In Metro Manila, it barely changed at 17 percent. However, moderate hunger rose by nine percentage points in the Visayas to 22 percent and by five points in Mindanao to 16 percent.   SWS said the new moderate hunger rates are higher than their 13-year averages for all areas.   Hunger among poor families   According to the survey, severe hunger among poor families went up from 5.5 percent in September to 8 percent in December. Among the "food-poor," severe hunger went up from 6.9 percent to 9.1 percent.   On the other hand, moderate hunger among the poor went up from 22.4 percent in Septemebr to 25.6 percent in December. Among the food-poor, moderate hunger rose from 24.2 percent in September to 29 percent in December. “Some hunger also exists among families calling themselves Non-Poor or Borderline but the proportion is much less than among those calling themselves poor,” the SWS said.   By region   By region, overall hunger fell in Balance Luzon and in Metro Manila, but increased in the Visayas and Mindanao.   In Balance Luzon, overall hunger dropped  by 5.3 points from a record-high 28.3 percent in September to 23 percent in December. In Metro Manila, overall hunger also went down by one percentage point from 23 percent to 22 percent.   In the Visayas, it rose by 9.7 points to 25.0 percent. In Mindanao, it went up by 6.7 points to 19.7 percent. - VVP, GMA News