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Thursday, August 07, 2008
More Pinoys spend less on food: survey
MANILA -- At least two in every three or about 66 percent of Filipino households are now spending less on food as they cope with the rising global prices, a recent survey showed.
Pulse Asia, an independent polling agency, reported that based on its July 1 to 14 survey, which covered 1,200 respondents nationwide, 22 percent higher than the 44 percent last quarter admitted to spend less on food consumption.
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It is also more rampant in the Visayas (75 percent), Luzon (70 percent), and Mindanao (61 percent) than in Metro Manila (47 percent).
The survey results came on the heels of the government's report that the inflation rate in July reached a 17-year high of 12.2 percent.
It also showed that about 24 percent of the respondents is now cutting back on their rice consumption or spending, while 55 percent said they are reducing expenditures on other food items.
More Filipinos are also cutting back on their spending for transportation or fuel (32 percent), which is five-percentage point higher than in March (19 percent), and on liquefied petroleum gas (31 percent), which is one percentage lower than in the first quarter (30 percent).
Meanwhile, more Filipinos spend less in July than in March on electricity (53 percent from 59 percent), cell phone loads (22 percent from 28 percent), water (18 percent from 28 percent), education (14 percent from 16 percent) and medicines and other health needs (13 percent from 21 percent).
About three percent said their spending on house rentals remained the same, while 18 percent claimed that they have now started to spend less on recreations like watching movies, eating out, vacations and similar outings.
One percent of the respondents also said they have cut down on other possible expenditures, while another one percent said they have not changed the way they are spending in the last three quarters.
When asked how the rising prices of commodities affected their families, 26 percent said they reduced their consumption of other products and services aside from food and education, while 23 percent said they cut back on their food consumption.
Others said they were forced to find additional sources of income (19 percent), borrow money (11 percent), reduce their savings (10 percent), pawned or sold their things (three percent), ask help from relatives (three percent), stop a child or family member from schooling (one percent), and transfer their child from a private to public school (0.3 percent).
Three percent, however, said the increasing prices did not affect their household much as their income could handle the high inflation.
Due to the high inflation, about 530,000 households or about three percent claimed that at least one or more of their family members go without food for at least one whole day in the month preceding the survey, because they have no money to buy food (89 percent), no food could be bought (six percent), were not feeling well (three percent) or they were on diet (two percent).
Presidential Management Staff director general Cerge Remonde said they view the survey results "with very serious concern."
"That is why the President (Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo) is hastening the implementation of the national social welfare program so that government can help the poorest of the poor," he added.
Press Secretary Jesus Dureza, who claimed he was not convinced that the 1,200 respondents could well represent the feelings of the 80 million Filipinos, said they do not need a survey to know that the rising prices of the commodities, especially fuel, is taking its toll on the public.
He said the government acknowledged the high 12.2 percent inflation rate and is doing all it can to address it. (JMR/Sunnex)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Iloilo. (August 7, 2008 issue)
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