Hunger rate increases in the first quarter according to latest SWS survey.
Hunger rate in the country accelerates in the first quarter as number of families experiencing involuntary hunger rose to 3.1 million. This was according to the latest Social Weather Stations Survey (SWS).
According to GMA News report, the poll result show that the hunger rate has increased to 13.7 percent on the first quarter of 2016 from 11.6 percent on 2016’s fourth quarter.
However, the increase numbers are less than a point from the previous year’s hunger rate of 13.5 percent and the whole-year average of 2016 with 13.4 percent.
The latest hunger rate was composed of 2.6 million families who experienced “moderate hunger” or having gone hungry once or few times and 481,000 who suffered “severe hungry” or having experienced hunger always during the first three months of 2016.
The SWS said that the increase was due to the six-point rise in Mindanao population.
The survey was participated by 1,500 adults and was held on March 30 to April 2. It was taken using face-to-face interviews.
The increase of hunger rate took place during the time of former President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III who stepped down last June 30.
He passed the position to his successor President Rodrigo Duterte, who won the May elections with more than 16 million votes according to official and final result of Commission on Elections (Comelec).
President Rodrigo Duterte is now the 16th President of the Republic of Philippines. His vice president is former Camarines Sur representative Leni Robredo.