Excerpts from a report by Helen Flores in The Philippine Star, January 13, 2010.
“MANILA, Philippines. Hunger incidence in the country is at its highest since President Arroyo took over the presidency in 2001, according to the latest survey by the Social Weather Stations (SWS).
An estimated 4.4 million households or a new record high of 24 percent experienced involuntary hunger at least once in the past three months, the Fourth Quarter 2009 Social Weather Survey showed.
“The measure of hunger refers to involuntary suffering because the respondents answer a survey question that specifies hunger due to lack of anything to eat,” the SWS said.
Severe hunger, which refers to those who experienced it “often” or “always” in the last three months, rose from 3.8 percent (about 700,000 families) in October to 4.7 percent (estimated 870,000 families) in December.
The new survey also showed that hunger incidence rose in all areas.
It said overall hunger rose by 11 points in Metro Manila, from 16 percent (estimated 394,000 families) in October to 27 percent (estimated 665,000 families) in December 2009.
Based on the new SWS survey, a family in Metro Manila must now earn P12,000 per month to surpass poverty/hunger. In 2000, P7,491 per month was needed to overcome poverty.
The Consumer Price Index has risen 60 percent since 2000.”
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