Filipino families suffer hunger crisis amidst 29th Int'l Day of Families celebration

by Ayien-an Jetia Pesimo

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), as the leader of the National Committee on the Filipino Family (NCFF), actively participated in the International Day of Families (IDF) yesterday to promote and strengthen family unity and relationships globally, May 15.

The focus of this year's celebration is "Pamilyang Pilipino: Pagtugon sa Nagbabagong Pananaw at Panahon," which was derived from the United Nations' theme, "Families and Demographic Change."

“We are gathered here today in observance of the International Day of Families. This momentous occasion is a celebration of having strong, resilient, and united families amid global issues and ever-changing society,” DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian said in his video message during the short program to mark the event.

“The DSWD, as the Chair of the NCFF, together with the regional inter-agency committee on Filipino family, will likewise continue to strengthen and promote the family as the foundation of the nation, its basic social institution, as well as the protection of marriage as the foundation of the family,” Gatchalian added.

The celebration of IDF served as a platform to raise awareness about various issues concerning families and to enhance understanding of the social, economic, and demographic factors that impact families.

Several topics were discussed during the forum, including the characteristics of Filipino households as revealed by the 2020 Census of Population and Housing, the issue of teenage pregnancy in the Philippines, and the implementation of Continuing Professional Development Programs designed for Filipino families.

𝗙𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗼 𝗳𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝘃𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗵𝘂𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿

Fewer Filipino families reported experiencing involuntary hunger in the first quarter of 2023, according to the Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey results released on Thursday, May 11.

According to SWS, 9.8 percent of Filipino families, approximately 2.7 million, experienced involuntary hunger or being hungry and not having anything to eat at least once in the past three months.

This figure is lower compared to the previous surveys conducted in October and December 2022, which reported 11.3 percent (approximately 2.9 million families) and 11.8 percent (estimated three million families), respectively.

However, SWS noted that the current rate is still higher than the record low of 8.8 percent (approximately 2.1 million families) in December 2019, a few months before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

𝗛𝘂𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀, 𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝗕𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗟𝘂𝘇𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗩𝗶𝘀𝗮𝘆𝗮𝘀

According to the SWS, 9.8% of Filipino families who experienced involuntary hunger comprised two components.

Firstly, 8.6% of families, approximately 2.3 million, encountered moderate hunger, meaning they went hungry "only once" or "a few times" in recent months. Secondly, 1.2% of families, equivalent to 340,000, faced severe hunger, experiencing constant or frequent hunger over the past three months.

According to the survey, Filipino families who experienced involuntary hunger were mostly observed in Mindanao, accounting for 11.7% or 721,000 families.

Following Mindanao, Metro Manila recorded 10.7% or 397,000 families experiencing involuntary hunger, the Visayas had 9.7% or 499,000 families, and Balance Luzon had 8.7% or 1.1 million families.

The survey took place from March 26 to 29, 2023, and involved interviews with 1,200 adult Filipinos.

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