Fewer families go hungry

HUNGER AMONG Filipino families fell to a one and a half-year low in December, the Social Weather Stations (SWS) said in a new report, with an estimated one million households no longer having experienced lacking anything to eat.

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A Dec. 8-11 nationwide survey, the results of which were made exclusive to BusinessWorld, found 16.3% of the respondents — equivalent to 3.3 million families — claiming to have gone hungry in the last three months, down from the 21%, or 4.3 million households, recorded in August.

The latest hunger figure was the lowest since June 2011’s 15.1% (3.0 million families) and contrasted markedly with the record 23.8% (4.8 million families) hit in March last year.

The SWS said December’s 4.7-point improvement was due to a better score for moderate hunger — having had nothing to eat “only once” or “a few times” in the last three months — even as severe hunger — “often” or “always” going hungry — marginally rose.

Improvements were noted in all geographical areas, although overall hunger as of December was still above the 14-year average of 14.5%.

Malacañang, asked to comment on the result, described the decline as a step towards the “full fruition” of the Aquino government’s anti-poverty programs.

The SWS said moderate hunger eased to 12.7% (2.6 million families) last month from 18% (3.7 million families) in August. It remained above the 11-year average of 11%.

Severe hunger, meanwhile, slightly increased to 3.6% (731,000 families) from 3% (611,000 families) previously, similar to the 14-year average of 3.5%.

The SWS said overall hunger declined the most in Mindanao, to 20% (963,000 families) from 30.3%. The Visayas saw a four-point dip to 13.3% (516,000 families) while in Balance Luzon it was down by over three points to 12.7% (1.1 million families). Metro Manila’s gain was just 0.7 point to 25.3% (719,000 families).

Broken down, moderate hunger slipped in Mindanao to 16% from 26% and also fell in the Visayas to 10.7% from 15.7%, in Balance Luzon to 9.7% from 14%, and in Metro Manila to 19.3% from 20.3%.

“Compared to their 14-year averages, the new moderate hunger rate is now lower in Balance Luzon, equal in the Visayas, but still higher in Metro Manila and Mindanao,” the SWS said.

Severe hunger, meanwhile, barely changed in Mindanao (4% from 4.3%) and Metro Manila (6% from 5.7%) but rose by a point in Balance Luzon and the Visayas to 3% and 2.7%, respectively.

“The new severe hunger rates are now lower than their 14-year averages in all areas except in Metro Manila,” the SWS said.

Sought for comment, Sec. Herminio “Sonny” B. Coloma of the Presidential Communications Operations Office said: “We hope that this trend may be sustained in future survey periods as we witness the full fruition of the CCT (Conditional Cash Transfer program) and similar poverty reduction programs at the grassroots of our communities nationwide.”

The CCT, also called the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, provides allowances to poor households selected by the Department of Social Welfare and Development. Beneficiaries receive a monthly stipend of up to P1,400, and covered households should make sure that mothers avail of prenatal and other maternal care services and that children are immunized and attend 85% of their classes.

For the December survey, the SWS polled 1,200 adults nationwide using face-to-face interviews. The error margins used were +/-3% for national and +/-6% for area percentages.

The question asked was “Nitong nakaraang tatlong buwan, nangyari po ba kahit minsan na ang inyong pamilya ay nakaranas ng gutom at wala kayong makain? (In the last three months, did it happen even once that your family experienced hunger and had nothing to eat?).”

Those who replied yes were further asked: “Nangyari po ba ’yan ng minsan lamang, mga ilang beses, madalas or palagi? (Did it happen only once, a few times, often or always?) ” — Noemi M. Gonzales, BUsinessworld