The national Social Weather Survey of December 12-16, 2021, found that 11.8% of Filipino families, or an estimated 3.0 million, experienced involuntary hunger – being hungry and not have anything to eat – at least once in the past three months.
The December 2021 Hunger rate is 1.8 points above the 10.0% (estimated 2.5 million families) in September 2021, but still lower than the 16.8% in May 2021 and 13.6% in June 2021.
The resulting annual average Hunger rate for 2021 is 13.1% versus the record-high 21.1% for 2020. However, this is still above the 9.3% annual average for 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic.
Hunger rises in all areas except in Balance Luzon
The experience of Hunger is highest in Metro Manila at 22.8% of families, followed by Mindanao at 12.2%, the Visayas at 9.7%, and Balance Luzon (or Luzon outside Metro Manila) at 9.2%. It has been worst in Metro Manila in 22 out of 96 surveys since July 1998.
The 1.8-point rise in Overall Hunger between September 2021 and December 2021 is due to increases in all areas except in Balance Luzon.
Compared to September 2021, the incidence of Hunger rose by 8.8 points in Metro Manila, from 14.0% (est. 473,000 families) in September 2021 to 22.8% (est. 770,000 families) in December 2021. This is the highest Hunger rate in this area since the 23.3% in November 2020.
It rose by 3.7 points in the Visayas, from 6.0% (est. 285,000 families) to 9.7% (est. 462,000 families).
It rose by 1.9 points in Mindanao, from 10.3% (est. 595,000 families) to 12.2% (est. 703,000 families).
However, it fell by 1.1 points in Balance Luzon, from 10.3% (est. 1.2 million families) to 9.2% (est. 1.0 million families). This is the lowest Hunger rate in this area since the 6.3% in December 2019.
Moderate Hunger 9.2%, Severe Hunger 2.6%
The 11.8% Hunger rate in December 2021 is the sum of 9.2% (est. 2.3 million families) who experienced Moderate Hunger and 2.6% (est. 657,000 families) who experienced Severe Hunger.
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 last three months.
In September 2021, Moderate Hunger was 7.9% (est. 2.0 million families), and Severe Hunger was 2.1% (est. 534,000 families).
In Metro Manila, Moderate Hunger rose by 7.2 points from 9.7% in September 2021 to 16.9% in December 2021, while Severe Hunger rose by 1.5 points from 4.3% to 5.8%.
In Balance Luzon, Moderate Hunger fell by 1.6 points from 8.0% to 6.4%. However, Severe Hunger rose slightly from 2.3% to 2.8%. The latest Moderate Hunger rate is the lowest in this area since the 5.0% in December 2019.
In the Visayas, Moderate Hunger rose by 3.3 points from 5.0% to 8.3%, while Severe Hunger rose slightly from 1.0% to 1.4%.
In Mindanao, Moderate Hunger rose by 1.8 points from 9.0% to 10.8%. Severe Hunger barely moved from 1.3% to 1.4%.
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