The number of Filipino families who experienced involuntary hunger has gone down to single-digit levels for the first time in 13 years, the latest Social Weather Stations survey revealed.
The latest poll, conducted among 1,200 respondents, noted that hunger levels went down to 9.5 percent for the second quarter of 2017, or 2.2-million families—the lowest since March 2004’s 7.4 percent.
While the latest reading was the lowest in more than a decade, it generally steadied from the preceding month and from a year ago, specifically: 2.4 points below the 11.9 percent or an estimated 2.7-million families recorded in March 2017 and 5.7 points lower than June 2016’s 15.2 percent or 3.4-million families when Duterte took office.
Moderate hunger slipped to 7.9 percent or an estimated 1.8-million families in June, while severe hunger is at 1.6 percent, or an estimated 374,000 families.
The latest involuntary hunger readings coincide with the six-point fall in self-rated poverty and the three-point drop in self-rated food poverty between March and June, the SWS said.
From March to June, hunger rate slipped by 3.5 points to 13.6 percent among self-rated poor, and by 3.6 points to 17.1 percent among the self-rated food-poor.
Malacañang welcomed the latest survey as they vowed to make good of the President’s vow for a “Comfortable Life for All.”
“It’s the first time since 2004 that Filipino families experiencing hunger fell to a single digit,” Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella said in a press briefing.
“We have certainly made significant headways in alleviating poverty and bringing prosperity in our first year in office. Much needs to be done but with the support of all sectors, we can make a comfortable life for all a reality,” he said.
The survey, which was conducted from June 24 to 27, has a margin of error of ±3 points nationwide.