MANILA, Philippines – Hunger has reached a new peak nationwide, a new Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey showed, with the national percentage of families having experienced nothing to eat rising to nearly a quarter of all households.
At 23.7 percent — equivalent to 4.3 million families — this month’s finding surpassed the previous record of 21.5 percent — recorded in September 2007 — and was 11 points higher than the 10-year average of 12.6 percent, survey results made exclusive to BusinessWorld showed.
The December 2008 score is also five points higher than the 18.4 percent posted last September.
It put this year’s hunger average at 18.5 percent, up from last year’s 17.9 percent. The independent survey research institute noted that hunger has been in double-digit territory since June 2004.
A National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) official, however, expressed doubts over the findings, pointing to government efforts to eradicate hunger and provide employment to the poor.
An economist, meanwhile, said the higher hunger was an effect of the global economic downturn and warned that next year’s results could be worse due to a slowdown in consumption and job losses among Filipino migrant workers.
The latest SWS survey was fielded over November 28-December 1, 2008 and covered 1,500 respondents nationwide.
In face-to-face interviews, household heads were asked: "Nitong naka-raang tatlong buwan, nangyari po ba kahit minsan na ang inyong pamilya ay nakaranas ng gutom at wala kayong makain? Kung Oo: Nangyari po ba ’yan ng minsan lamang, mga ilang beses, madalas, o palagi? (In the past three months, was there an instance when your family experienced hunger or had nothing to eat? If yes, did it happen only once, a few times, often, or always?).
Respondents were divided into random samples of 300 each in Metro Manila, Visayas, and Mindanao, and 600 in the rest of Luzon. Sampling error margins of ±2.5 percent for national percentages, ±6 percent for Metro Manila, Visayas and Mindanao, and ±4 percent for the rest of Luzon were used.
The SWS said the five-point increase in total hunger between September and December could be attributed to a three-point rise in moderate hunger and the two-point increase in severe hunger.
Moderate hunger, pertaining to those who experienced it "only once" or "a few times" in the last three months, hit a record high of 18.5 percent (around 3.3 million families) in December from 15.2 percent (around 2.7 million families) in September. The December figure is nine points higher than the ten-year average moderate hunger rate of 9.2 percent. Counted in this category were those who did not state their frequency of hunger.
Severe hunger — meaning it was experienced "often" or "always" in the last three months, rose by three points to 5.2 percent (about 940,000 families) in December from 3.2 percent (about 580,000 families) in September. The latest figure is higher by two points than the ten-year average severe hunger rate of 3.3 percent.
The percentage of families who experienced hunger reached record highs in Mindanao and in Metro Manila. Overall hunger was the highest in Mindanao at 33.7 percent (around 1.4 million families) from 18.3 percent. It was at 23.3 percent (around 570,000 families) in Metro Manila, barely moving from 23 percent last September but nevertheless still a new peak for the area. It was up nine points in the Visayas to 20.7 percent (around 750,000 families) from 11.7 percent and remained at 20 percent (1.6 million families) in the rest of Luzon.
Moderate hunger hit record highs in Mindanao (27.7 percent from 16 percent) and in the Visayas (18 percent from 11.3 percent). It went up in Metro Manila (18.3 percent from 15 percent) but declined in the rest of Luzon (14 percent from 16.5 percent).
"In all areas, the latest moderate hunger rates remain higher than their ten-year averages," the SWS said.
Severe hunger went down in Metro Manila (5 percent in December from 8 percent in September) but rose in Mindanao (6 percent from 2.3 percent), the Visayas (2.7 percent from 0.3 percent) and in the rest of Luzon (6 percent from 3.5 percent).
"The latest severe hunger figures remain higher than their ten-year averages in all areas except Visayas, where its latest score of 2.7 percent was slightly lower than its ten-year average of 3.1 percent," the SWS said.
Asked to comment, NAPC lead convenor Domingo F. Panganiban expressed reservations over the results, claiming that the government had already implemented programs to help the poor and address the problem of hunger.
"I cannot say that the results are reliable. Last month we went to the poorest provinces and the people there were thanking the government for its initiatives like the P500 electricity subsidy and the conditional cash transfer. Aside from that, the price of rice has fallen because of the access cards issued by the government," he told BusinessWorld in a telephone interview.
The P500 power subsidy, which was designed to help poor households pay their electric bills, was funded by excess revenues from the value added tax on oil. The conditional cash transfer program, meanwhile, provides cash allowances to parents who send their children to school.
Mr. Panganiban said the government would continue to work to ensure that the poor were protected from the impact of the global economic crisis.
"The President has directed the Cabinet to oversee and implement employment programs in the regions. We expect to generate more than 1.2 million jobs in 2009. Our programs like the food for school will continue and in fact, the government has increased the budget for these programs," he said.
But Leonor M. Briones, a former National Treasurer who now teaches at the University of the Philippines, said the higher hunger incidence was proof that the economy was slowing down due to the global downturn.
"It is a sign of the slowing down of our economy. We have seen job losses, the retrenchment of overseas Filipino workers and higher prices of goods. The year 2009 may even be worse. We will also see lower consumption," she said.
"The government is not recognizing these economic difficulties. The 7 percent economic growth last year is consumption-based and is not sustainable. But consumption will weaken. The government is making it worse by committing corruption," she said.
Ms. Briones said the government should come up with reforms to address corruption and to ensure that state resources are channelled to the needy. - Alexis Douglas B. Romero, BusinessWorld
At 23.7 percent — equivalent to 4.3 million families — this month’s finding surpassed the previous record of 21.5 percent — recorded in September 2007 — and was 11 points higher than the 10-year average of 12.6 percent, survey results made exclusive to BusinessWorld showed.
The December 2008 score is also five points higher than the 18.4 percent posted last September.
It put this year’s hunger average at 18.5 percent, up from last year’s 17.9 percent. The independent survey research institute noted that hunger has been in double-digit territory since June 2004.
A National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) official, however, expressed doubts over the findings, pointing to government efforts to eradicate hunger and provide employment to the poor.
An economist, meanwhile, said the higher hunger was an effect of the global economic downturn and warned that next year’s results could be worse due to a slowdown in consumption and job losses among Filipino migrant workers.
The latest SWS survey was fielded over November 28-December 1, 2008 and covered 1,500 respondents nationwide.
In face-to-face interviews, household heads were asked: "Nitong naka-raang tatlong buwan, nangyari po ba kahit minsan na ang inyong pamilya ay nakaranas ng gutom at wala kayong makain? Kung Oo: Nangyari po ba ’yan ng minsan lamang, mga ilang beses, madalas, o palagi? (In the past three months, was there an instance when your family experienced hunger or had nothing to eat? If yes, did it happen only once, a few times, often, or always?).
Respondents were divided into random samples of 300 each in Metro Manila, Visayas, and Mindanao, and 600 in the rest of Luzon. Sampling error margins of ±2.5 percent for national percentages, ±6 percent for Metro Manila, Visayas and Mindanao, and ±4 percent for the rest of Luzon were used.
The SWS said the five-point increase in total hunger between September and December could be attributed to a three-point rise in moderate hunger and the two-point increase in severe hunger.
Moderate hunger, pertaining to those who experienced it "only once" or "a few times" in the last three months, hit a record high of 18.5 percent (around 3.3 million families) in December from 15.2 percent (around 2.7 million families) in September. The December figure is nine points higher than the ten-year average moderate hunger rate of 9.2 percent. Counted in this category were those who did not state their frequency of hunger.
Severe hunger — meaning it was experienced "often" or "always" in the last three months, rose by three points to 5.2 percent (about 940,000 families) in December from 3.2 percent (about 580,000 families) in September. The latest figure is higher by two points than the ten-year average severe hunger rate of 3.3 percent.
The percentage of families who experienced hunger reached record highs in Mindanao and in Metro Manila. Overall hunger was the highest in Mindanao at 33.7 percent (around 1.4 million families) from 18.3 percent. It was at 23.3 percent (around 570,000 families) in Metro Manila, barely moving from 23 percent last September but nevertheless still a new peak for the area. It was up nine points in the Visayas to 20.7 percent (around 750,000 families) from 11.7 percent and remained at 20 percent (1.6 million families) in the rest of Luzon.
Moderate hunger hit record highs in Mindanao (27.7 percent from 16 percent) and in the Visayas (18 percent from 11.3 percent). It went up in Metro Manila (18.3 percent from 15 percent) but declined in the rest of Luzon (14 percent from 16.5 percent).
"In all areas, the latest moderate hunger rates remain higher than their ten-year averages," the SWS said.
Severe hunger went down in Metro Manila (5 percent in December from 8 percent in September) but rose in Mindanao (6 percent from 2.3 percent), the Visayas (2.7 percent from 0.3 percent) and in the rest of Luzon (6 percent from 3.5 percent).
"The latest severe hunger figures remain higher than their ten-year averages in all areas except Visayas, where its latest score of 2.7 percent was slightly lower than its ten-year average of 3.1 percent," the SWS said.
Asked to comment, NAPC lead convenor Domingo F. Panganiban expressed reservations over the results, claiming that the government had already implemented programs to help the poor and address the problem of hunger.
"I cannot say that the results are reliable. Last month we went to the poorest provinces and the people there were thanking the government for its initiatives like the P500 electricity subsidy and the conditional cash transfer. Aside from that, the price of rice has fallen because of the access cards issued by the government," he told BusinessWorld in a telephone interview.
The P500 power subsidy, which was designed to help poor households pay their electric bills, was funded by excess revenues from the value added tax on oil. The conditional cash transfer program, meanwhile, provides cash allowances to parents who send their children to school.
Mr. Panganiban said the government would continue to work to ensure that the poor were protected from the impact of the global economic crisis.
"The President has directed the Cabinet to oversee and implement employment programs in the regions. We expect to generate more than 1.2 million jobs in 2009. Our programs like the food for school will continue and in fact, the government has increased the budget for these programs," he said.
But Leonor M. Briones, a former National Treasurer who now teaches at the University of the Philippines, said the higher hunger incidence was proof that the economy was slowing down due to the global downturn.
"It is a sign of the slowing down of our economy. We have seen job losses, the retrenchment of overseas Filipino workers and higher prices of goods. The year 2009 may even be worse. We will also see lower consumption," she said.
"The government is not recognizing these economic difficulties. The 7 percent economic growth last year is consumption-based and is not sustainable. But consumption will weaken. The government is making it worse by committing corruption," she said.
Ms. Briones said the government should come up with reforms to address corruption and to ensure that state resources are channelled to the needy. - Alexis Douglas B. Romero, BusinessWorld
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