More Filipinos going hungry amid rising food prices

21 July 2008
Second Quarter 2008 Social Weather Survey:
Hunger goes to 16.3%; Severe Hunger rises to 4.2%
Social Weather Stations

Households reporting that their families experienced involuntary hunger at least once in the past three months rose to 16.3% (estimated 2.9 million families), according to the Second Quarter 2008 Social Weather Survey, fielded over June 27-30, 2008. This is four points above the ten-year average Hunger rate of 12.1%.
Hunger had dropped in 2007Q4 and 2008Q1, before rising in 2008Q2. From its record-high 21.5% in September 2007, it fell to 16.2% in December 2007 and 15.7% in March 2008, before going back to 16.3% in June.
The measure of Hunger refers to involuntary suffering because the respondents answer a survey question that specifies hunger due to lack of anything to eat.