There were fewer Filipino families who said they were hungry in recent months compared to earlier this year.
The latest national Social Weather Survey of pollster Social Weather Stations noted that an estimated 2.5 million people experienced involuntary hunger – hunger due to lack of food to eat – at least once in the past three months.
The September 2021 Hunger rate is 3.6 points below the 13.6 percent (estimated 3.4 million families) in June 2021.
It is 11.1 points below the 2020 annual average of 21.1 percent, but 0.7 points above the 2019 annual average of 9.3 percent.
The report said that the resulting 13.5 percent average for the first three quarters of 2021 is less than for last year but has not fully recovered to pre-pandemic levels.
Hunger declines in all areas except in Metro Manila, according to the survey that was done on September 12-16.
The experience of hunger is highest in Metro Manila at 14.0 percent of families, followed by Balance Luzon and Mindanao, both at 10.3 percent, and the Visayas at 6.0 percent.
Hunger has been worst in Metro Manila in 21 out of 95 surveys since July 1998.
The 3.6-point decline in Overall Hunger between June 2021 and September 2021 is due to decreases in all areas except in Metro Manila.
Compared to June 2021, the incidence of Hunger fell by 4.7 points in Balance Luzon, from 15.0% (est. 1.7 million families) to 10.3% (est. 1.2 million families). This is the lowest Hunger rate in this area since the 6.3% in December 2019.
It fell by 4.7 points in Mindanao, from 15.0% (est. 863,000 families) to 10.3% (est. 595,000 families). This is the lowest since the 9.0% in June 2019.
It fell by 2.3 points in the Visayas, from 8.3% (est. 396,000 families) to 6.0% (est. 285,000 families). This is the lowest Hunger rate in this area since the 6.0% in September 2018.
However, it stayed at 14.0% (est. 473,000 families) in Metro Manila from June 2021 to September 2021.
