The number of Filipino families who experienced hunger in the past three months has doubled to around 4.2 million amid the COVID-19 crisis, a Social Weather Stations survey bared.
In the survey conducted from May 4 to 10 with 4,010 respondents, SWS found out that 16.7 percent experienced involuntary hunger or hunger due to lack of food beginning February.
According to SWS, the latest figure is twice higher than December 2019’s hunger rate of 8.8 percent or about 2.1 million families, and is the highest since September 2014’s 22 percent or 4.8 million families.
The SWS said 13.9 percent experienced “moderate hunger” – those who experienced hunger “once” or “a few times” in the last three months – and 2.8 percent experienced “severe hunger” – those who experienced it “often” or “always.”
The survey also found out that 99 percent of Filipino families have received relief food package, mostly from the government, since the crisis.
The country’s hunger rate is based on the hunger rate of Metro Manila, with 20.8 percent of its total population; Balance Luzon, whole Luzon except Metro Manila, with 12.6 percent; Visayas, with 14.6 percent; and Mindanao, with 24.2 percent.
Balance Luzon and Mindanao both posted the largest number of hungry families with about 1.4 million each.
The survey, according to SWS, was conducted via phone or computer-assisted telephone interview.
The respondents were from different parts of the country, whose contact details were previously shared to the institution during face-to-face interviews. (Joseph Pedrajas)
