Philippines: Hunger index

This is from the Philippine newspaper Malaya. The situation seems to be getting considerably worse in metro Manila. Although there is much poverty in the rural areas at least people are able to get something to eat in most cases but in the city where people flock for a better life you need money to get food and it is scarcer without funds.


More families report days of hunger, says SWS
THE proportion of families experiencing involuntary hunger at least once in the past three months rose to 18.4 percent, or about 3.3 million households, according to the third quarter survey of the Social Weather Stations.
The survey conducted September 24 to 27 also showed "moderate hunger" up by 3 percent but "severe hunger" down by 1 percent.
The latest Hunger record is six points above the 10-year average of 12.3 percent, and is the highest in the four quarters after the record-high 21.5 percent in September 2007.
The Hunger average of 2008 is 16.8 percent, only slightly lower than the 2007 average of 17.9 percent.
The measure of Hunger refers to involuntary suffering. The survey question specified hunger due to lack of anything to eat.
Moderate Hunger, referring to those who experienced it "Only Once" or "A Few Times" in the last three months, rose from 12.1 percent (about 2.2 million families) in June to 15.2 percent (2.7 million families) in September. The latest score is six points above the 10-year average Moderate Hunger rate of 9 percent. The few who did not state their frequency of Hunger were also placed in this category.
Severe Hunger, referring to those who experienced it "Often" or "Always" in the last three months, went from 4.2 percent (about 760,000 families) in June to 3.2 percent (about 580,000 families) in September. The new rate is equal to the 10-year average Severe Hunger rate of 3.3 percent, SWS said.
The proportion of households experiencing Hunger has been highest in Metro Manila for the past two quarters, with the latest figure at 23 percent or about 560,000 families.
It is now 20 percent (1.6 million families) in Balance Luzon, 18.3 percent (750,000 families) in Mindanao, and 11.7 percent (420,000 families) in the Visayas.
Overall Hunger rose by 8 points in Luzon outside Metro Manila, from 12.3 percent in June to 20 percent in September. It rose by 1 point in Metro Manila, from 22 percent to 23 percent, and by about 1 point in Mindanao, from 17.7 percent to 18.3 percent.
It declined by 8 points in the Visayas, from 19.7 percent in the previous quarter to 11.7 percent now.
Moderate Hunger rose by 8 points in Balance Luzon, from 8.3 percent in June to 16.5 percent in September, and by 3 points in Mindanao, from 13.3 percent to 16.0 percent.
It declined by 5 points in the Visayas, from 16.3 percent to 11.3 percent, and by 1 point in Metro Manila, from 16 percent to 15 percent.
In all areas, the latest Moderate Hunger rates remain higher than their 10-year averages.
Severe Hunger went down in areas outside Metro Manila. It declined by 3 points in the Visayas (from 3.3 percent to 0.3 percent), by 2 points in Mindanao (from 4.3 percent to 2.3 percent), and by less than 1 point in Balance Luzon, from 4.0 percent to 3.5 percent.
It rose by 2 points in Metro Manila, from 6 percent in June to 8 percent in September.
The latest Severe Hunger figures remain higher than their 10-year averages in all areas except Visayas, where its latest score of 0.3 percent was well below its 10-year average of 3.1 percent