Social Weather Stations Survey Says 7.6 Million Filipino Households Hungry

A survey conducted by the Social Weather Stations (SWS) says that a record 30.7%, an estimated 7.6 million Filipino households, experience hunger due to a lack of food in the past 3 months.

The survey was conducted from Sept. 17 to 20.

This new record breaks the previous high of 23.8% posted in March 2012.

Before the pandemic began early this year, the Philippines recorded a steady decline of household hunger from 23.8% in March 2012 to 8.8% in December 2019.

The survey says that out of the 30.7%, a record 22% or around 5.5 million households experience moderate hunger, while the remaining 8.7% or around 2.2 million households experience severe hunger, also a record.

The SWS explained “Moderate Hunger refers to those who experienced hunger “Only Once” or “A Few Times” in the last three months. Meanwhile, Severe Hunger refers to those who experienced it “Often” or “Always” in the last three months,”

The survey also showed that hunger hit record highs in Visayas, Mindanao, and Metro Manila.