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8KVUXZ
CONTENTS BUSINESS NATION WORLD TECHNOLOGY
Are We Losing the War on Hunger?
Despite 39 billion for the poor, 24 million didnt eat
By Ricardo Saludo
GRUMBLING STOMACHS
Hunger Incidence in the Philippines, July 1998-March 2012
Total Hunger
(Ave. 1998-2012 = 14.3%)
Moderate
(Ave. 1998-2012 = 10.8%)
Severe
(Ave. 1998-2012 = 3.5%)
%

o
f

h
o
u
s
e
h
o
l
d
s
20
15
10
5
1998 2001 2004 2010 2012
ESTRADA ARROYO AQUINO
23.8%
18.0%
5.8%
STRATEGY POINTS
Despite tens of billions of pesos in monthly stipends for the poor, hunger has risen in all
quarters but one since September 2010.
Clearly, cash aid cannot adequately address all the facets of the hunger problem, from food
supply and prices to jobs and income.
Even in direct family aid, the complex characteristics of every needy household require
multi-pronged measures, not just CCT.
Graphic based on Social Weather Stations chart
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19
:NKcenSEI8KVUXZ - May 14-20, 2012
Are we losing the war on hunger
B
ack in January, Secretary Corazon
Soliman of the Department of Social
Welfare and Development (DSWD)
downplayed the Social Weather Stations
(SWS) hunger survey conducted last
December. Hunger incidence rose for
two quarters in a row to 22.5%, or more
LIun zz mIIIIon IIIpInos II exLrupoIuLed
nationwide. But Soliman noted that the
rise was just one percentage point from the
previous survey last September, while self-
rated poverty (SRP) fell by seven points in
an accompanying SWS poverty report.
The hunger rate did not really move,
the DSWD head told a media forum.
There are more people who thought that
they are not poor [55%]. According to
Mahar [Mangahas, SWS president], its the
biggest drop [in self-rated poverty] for the
IusL hve yeurs. PeopIe busIcuIIy LIInk LIeIr
life is improving.
Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail
Valte repeated Secretary Solimans line
at the time: ... self-rated hunger was
statistically identical to the results of
the September 2011 survey. Combined
with the noticeable decrease in self-rated
poverty from 52 to 45 percent based on
the SWS fourth quarter survey (December
-;, zo11), LIIs IndIcuLes LIuL poIIcIes Lo
promote inclusive growth are beginning to
take effect.
That was January. Last week Soliman
wus uguIn IuvIng Lo expIuIn another
surge to a new peak in SWS hunger data
compiled on March 10-13. The percentage
of respondents saying they missed at least
one meuI In LIe hrsL quurLer oI LIe yeur IIL
a record 23.8%, equivalent to 4.8 million
families or about 24 million people.
Also at an all-time high since the
Iunger surveys begun In JuIy 1qq8 wus
the number of Filipinos suffering severe
hunger. Those frequently missing meals
numbered .q mIIIIon In LIe hrsL quurLer
of the year: 5.8% of households and
equivalent to almost half the population
of Metro Manila. (The highest incidence
oI severe Iunger wus 6% buck In MurcI
zoo1, buL LIuL wus equIvuIenL Lo q.6 mIIIIon
people then.)
Overall hunger incidence was slightly
higher than the previous peak reached
amid the rice crisis in December 2008. And
while last December, self-rated poverty
dropped even if hunger rose, this time the
MurcI hgure jumped by ten percentage
poInLs Lo %. TIuL`s q.q mIIIIon more
Filipinos saying they are poor. Most
worrisome, after dropping in September
2010, hunger incidence has risen in every
SWS quarterly survey under the Aquino
udmInIsLruLIon, excepL IusL June, despILe
the tens of billions of pesos in monthly
sLIpends Ior LIe poor under LIe expunded
conditional cash transfer
program (CCT).
From AHMP to CCT. When hunger
spiked in March last year, President
Benigno Aquino III questioned SWS
data, drawing uk Irom IeILIsLs und LIe
opposition. He claimed that the poll failed
Lo reecL supposed job growLI (In IucL
unemployment increased in January 2011)
und expunded CCT. SInce LIen, Iowever,
the President has been silent about SWS
hunger reports, including the last two,
released around the start of Chief Justice
Renato Coronas impeachment trial
in January, and when it resumed
last week.
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