SWS: Hunger eases to 10% of Pinoy families in September 2021

The number of Filipino families who experienced involuntary hunger went down to about 2.5 million Filipino families or 10% in September 2021, the Social Weather Stations (SWS) poll said on Monday.

The September figure on hunger rate is 3.6 points lower than the 13.6% or 3.4 Filipino families, who experienced hunger due to lack of food to eat in June 2021.

The SWS also noted that recent result was 11.1 points below the 2020 annual average of 21.1% but 0.7 points up the pre-pandemic or 2019 annual average of 9.3%.

Of the 10% hunger rate in September, 7.9% or 2 million families experienced moderate hunger while 2.1% or 534,000 families experienced severe hunger.

The pollster classified moderate hunger for those who experienced hunger only once or a few times in the last three months. Severe hunger are those who experienced hunger often or always in the last three months.

In Metro Manila, hunger experience was highest with 14% of families who said they experienced involuntary hunger, followed by Balance Luzon and Mindanao, both with 10.3% and Visayas with 6%.

The non-commissioned survey used in-person interviews with 1,200  adults nationwide, with 300 each in Metro Manila, Balance Luzon, the Visayas, and Mindanao.

Meanwhile, the sampling error margins utilized are ±3% for national percentages and ±6% for Metro Manila, Balance Luzon, the Visayas, and Mindanao.—LDF, GMA News