The national Social Weather Survey of December 8-11, 2023, found that 12.6% of Filipino families experienced involuntary hunger – being hungry and not having anything to eat – at least once in the past three months.
Compared to September 2023, hunger rose by 2.8 points from 9.8%.
This brings the 2023 annual hunger rate to 10.7%, 1.0 point below the 11.7% average in 2022 but 1.4 points above the pre-pandemic 9.3% average in 2019.
As of December 2023, the experience of hunger was highest in Balance Luzon (or Luzon outside Metro Manila) at 14.3%, followed by Metro Manila at 12.7%, Mindanao at 12.0%, and the Visayas at 9.3% of families.
The 2.8-point rise in hunger between September 2023 and December 2023 was due to increases in Mindanao, Balance Luzon, and the Visayas, combined with a decline in Metro Manila.
Compared to September 2023, the incidence of hunger rose by 5.3 points in Mindanao, from 6.7% to 12.0%.
It rose by 4.0 points in Balance Luzon, from 10.3% to 14.3%.
It rose by 2.6 points in the Visayas, from 6.7% to 9.3%.
However, it fell by 4.6 points in Metro Manila, from 17.3% to 12.7%.
The 12.6% hunger rate in December 2023 was the sum of 11.2% who experienced Moderate Hunger and 1.4% who experienced Severe Hunger.
Hunger rises from 9.8% in September to 12.6% in December 2023
Moderate Hunger 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 previous three months.
Compared to September 2023, Moderate Hunger rose by 2.8 points from 8.4%, while Severe Hunger hardly moved from 1.3%.
In Metro Manila, Moderate Hunger fell by 3.6 points from 13.3% in September 2023 to 9.7% in December 2023, while Severe Hunger fell by 1.0 point from 4.0% to 3.0%.
In Balance Luzon, Moderate Hunger rose by 4.3 points from 9.0% to 13.3%, while Severe Hunger hardly moved from 1.3% to 1.0%.
In the Visayas, Moderate Hunger rose by 2.3 points from 5.7% to 8.0%, while Severe Hunger hardly moved from 1.0% to 1.3%.
In Mindanao, Moderate Hunger rose by 4.0 points from 6.7% to 10.7%, while Severe Hunger rose from 0% to 1.3%.
The December 2023 survey found 47% of Filipino families rating themselves as Mahirap or Poor, 33% rating themselves as Borderline (by placing themselves on a horizontal line dividing Poor and Not Poor), and 20% rated themselves as Hindi Mahirap or Not Poor (“SOCIAL WEATHER REPORT | 47% of Filipino families feel Poor, similar to 48% in September 2023; 33% feel Borderline, and 20% feel Not Poor,” January 17, 2024, www.sws.org.ph).
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