A survey from the Social Weather Stations has showed that the percentage of Filipino families that experienced involuntary hunger last year almost matched the figure at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
The survey, conducted from December 12 to 18, found that 25.9 percent of Filipino families experienced involuntary hunger – being hungry and not having anything to eat – at least once in the past three months.
The figure is up three points from the 22.9 percent obtained in a similar survey in September 2024. It is also the highest since the record high of 30.7 percent was obtained during the COVID-19 lockdowns in September 2020.
The annual average hunger rate for 2024 was 20.2 percent, which according to the SWS is nearly double the annual average of 10.7 percent in 2023. It is also just less than a point below the record high annual average of 21.1 percent in 2020.
Across areas, involuntary hunger remained the highest among those in Mindanao at 30.3 percent (from 30.7 percent), followed by those in balance Luzon at 25.3 percent (from 18.1 percent), the Visayas at 24.4 percent (from 26 percent), and Metro Manila at 22.2 percent (from 21.7 percent).
Self-rated hunger increased among both poor and non-poor families. It went up from 29.3 percent to 31.5 percent among poor families, and increased from 13.8 percent to 16.3 percent among non-poor respondents.
Those who have actually felt hunger, along with the hopelessness and desperation that comes with the situation, would not wish it upon anyone else. A government that truly cares for its people will not try to justify its so-called performance with denials and statistics, but will instead work double time to ensure that the number of people who can say they experienced involuntary hunger never goes up, but should constantly be trending down.
Providing options for those who experience hunger, from short term solutions like dole outs and food banks, to long term ones like providing quality and sustainable education, training, and employment opportunities, is the hallmark of a government that is truly concerned for its people.
We are not quite there yet, but with the right leadership, we can be going in the right direction.*
