Some 3.1 million families experienced involuntary hunger at least once in the last three months of 2016, according to the latest survey by the Social Weather Stations (SWS). SWS said 10.9 percent or an estimated 2.5 million families said they experienced “moderate hunger” and 3.0 percent or an estimated 673,000 families experienced “severe hunger.”Moderate hunger refers to those who experienced hunger “only once” or “a few times” in the last three months, while “severe hunger” refers to those who experienced it “often” or “always.”The SWS survey also showed that the number of those who experienced “moderate” and “severe” hunger in the last quarter of 2016 was relatively stable compared to the third quarter and a year ago. In September 2016, 9.1 percent said they experienced moderate hunger while 1.5 percent experienced severe hunger. In December 2015, moderate hunger was at 8.9 percent and severe hunger at 2.8 percent. Hunger also rose in “Balance Luzon” to 15.0 percent or 1.5 million families from 11.7 percent in September, bringing the 2016 average to 13.6 percent from 12.4 percent in 2015.

Source: Manila Times January 24, 2017 10:26 UTC