At least 5.2 million Filipino families experienced hunger once in the past three months, the highest recorded since September 2014, according to a recent Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey.
The survey, which was conducted from July 3 to 6 and involving 1,555 respondents, showed hunger as increasing by 4.2 points from 16.7 percent in May 2020, and 12.1 points from 8.8 percent in December 2019.
The rate is the highest since the 4.8 million families registered in September 2014.
Of the number, SWS said 15.8 percent or an estimated 3.9 million families experienced "Moderate Hunger" and 5.1 percent or an estimated 1.3 million families experienced "Severe Hunger."
"Moderate Hunger," the SWS said, refers to those who experienced hunger "Only Once" or "A Few Times" in the last three months.
Meanwhile, "Severe Hunger" refers to those who experienced it "Often" or "Always" in the last three months.
It added that Moderate Hunger rose from 13.9 percent in May 2020 to 15.8 percent in July 2020.
This is the highest since the 17.6 percent or an estimated 3.8 million families registered in September 2014.
Meanwhile, severe hunger rose from 2.8 percent in May 2020 to 5.1 percent in July 2020. This is the highest since the 5.4 percent or an estimated 1.2 million families in June 2013.
The hunger rate was highest in the Visayas at 27.2 percent or an estimated 1.3 million families, followed by Mindanao at 24.2 percent or an estimated 1.4 million families, Balance Luzon at 17.8 percent or an estimated 2.0 million families, and Metro Manila at 16.3 percent or an estimated 546,000 families.
SWS also found out that hunger was higher among households with low socio-economic status and educational attainment.
The incidence of hunger rose among households of non-elementary graduate respondents, up from 21.1 percent to 35.6 percent.
The number also rose even among households of elementary graduates (up from 19.1 percent to 19.4 percent), junior high school graduates (up from 14.2 percent to 16.1 percent), and among households of college graduate respondents (up from 6.2 percent to 7.5 percent).
Data were gathered through mobile phone interviews of adult Filipinos 18 years old and above.
SWS noted the sampling has an error margin of ±2% for national percentages, ±6% for Metro Manila, and ±5% for Balance Luzon, ±5% for the Visayas, and ±5% for Mindanao.