Poverty situation in the Philippines

A family of scavengers search for plastic bottles and tin cans and the plight of street children remains the same the past years in Zamboanga City in the southern Philippines. The Second Quarter 2009 Social Weather Survey, fielded over June 19-22, 2009, found the proportion of families experiencing involuntary hunger at least once in the past three months rising to 20.3% or an estimated 3.7 million families, from 15.5% or an estimated 2.9 million families in the previous quarter.

The new Hunger figure is just 3 points lower than the record-high 23.7% (or estimated 4.3 million families) in December 2008, and is 8 points above the ten-year average of 12.8%.

Hunger has consistently been in double-digits for five years, since June 2004.

The SWS measure of Hunger refers to involuntary suffering because the respondents answer a survey question that specifies hunger due to lack of anything to eat. (Mindanao Examiner Photo)

Arroyo still unpopular among Filipinos - pollster

MANILA (Reuters) - Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's rating remained poor in the latest opinion survey, but her fourth quarter standing improved slightly from the previous three months, the country's leading pollster said on Monday.

In Social Weather Stations' (SWS) fourth quarter survey, 29 percent were satisfied with Arroyo's performance and 53 percent were dissatisfied, showing a net rating of negative 24 percent.

That was a slight improvement from a net rating of negative 27 percent in the third quarter survey in October. The latest survey, conducted from Nov. 28 to Dec. 1, had 1,200 respondents.

The president's rating fell to a record low of negative 38 in the second quarter this year, which made her the most unpopular president since the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos.

Arroyo was not affected by her low performance rating, her deputy spokesman Anthony Golez said, adding the president was focused on building the country's defences against the global financial crisis.

"Our focus is on the economy, not on surveys," Golez told reporters.

The SWS survey ratings were released weeks after Arroyo survived a fourth impeachment attempt in as many years on complaints of corruption and rights abuse.

It also came three days after Arroyo's political enemies held a street protest against moves by her allies in the lower house of Congress to extend her stay in power. Her term expires in 2010 and she is not eligible to seek re-election.

Despite her poor ratings in opinion surveys, the daughter of a former president is strongly supported by the military and by many in the powerful Catholic church.

Photo: Poverty In Zamboanga City

A girl leads a blind man to beg for money Monday, November 17, 2008 at a busy road in Zamboanga City in the southern Philippines. The proportion of families experiencing involuntary hunger at least once in the past three months rose to 18.4%, or an estimated 3.3 million households, according to the Third Quarter 2008 Social Weather Survey, fielded over September 24-27, 2008. The latest Hunger record is six points above the ten-year average of 12.3%, and is the highest in the four quarters after the record-high 21.5% in September 2007. (Mindanao Examiner Photo Service)