Filipinos have been consuming or spending less on food in response to double-digit inflation, according to a new survey by a polling firm.
Pulse Asia, an independent polling firm, reported Wednesday that two in three Filipino households or 66% said in a July 1 to 14 survey that they are "consuming less or spending less on food."
Inflation hit a 17-year high of 12.2% in July, according to the central bank.
Nationwide, 66% of respondents said they consumed or spent less on food in July 2008, a 22% increase from the 44% in March 2008.
The survey also showed that it was households outside Metro Manila, especially those in Mindanao, and the poorest households that severely cut back on food consumption and spending.
"Reduced food consumption or spending is more widespread in areas outside the National Capital Region and among socioeconomic classes D and E," Pulse Asia Executive Director Dr. Ana Maria Tabunda said in its August 6 release.
The July 2008 survey also showed that households were consuming and spending less on electricity, transportation, water, and medicine.
"Filipino households have likewise been reducing consumption of other commodities and services. About half of Filipino households (53%) say they reduced electric consumption, while a third say that they have reduced their expenditures on transportation and transport fuel, and on liquefied petroleum gas," Tabunda said.
The survey also showed that among households with cellphones (60%), "about a fifth have reduced their expenditures on cellphone load."
Aside from cutting consumption or spending, Pulse Asia said "other coping strategies" include seeking additional sources of income (19%), borrowing money (10%) or using their savings (10%).
Only 3% of households said they "had one or more of their members go without food for at least one whole day in the month preceding the survey, primarily because the household had no money to buy food."
this just shows how much the inflation rate is shooting upwards. it's really saddening that most Filipinos in our country hold back on food, which is one of the few things that keep us alive. i mean, if studies, computers, television, and other stuff were taken away, we would still survive, right? However, if we hold back on food, we'd die. They say that the economy of the Philippines is getting a lot better, but how come the inflation rates; not only of those of food, but also those of gasoline, metal, and other stuff; still keep shooting upwards? Can't we do anything to change this?
5 comments:
This is how life is, live with it. People start becoming more and more resourceful because of this. You can see, people nowadays especially the middle class resort to commuting everyday instead of bringing their own cars. People, in this case, think that as long as they have their stomachs full, then everything is well. Food is probably the one of the few necessities people should invest in precisely because it is a necessity.
Kawawa na talaga tayo. Nakakatawa mang isipin pero yun ang katotohanan. Marahil ang iba sa atin ay hindi nararanasan ang kahirapan na ito dahil nga kahit papaano meron pa tayong pangtustos sa pang-araw-araw nating gawain. Ngunit paano naman yung iba? Nakakalungkot isipin na kahit pagkain ngayon ay tinitipid na rin ng mga tao. Nakakatakot ito dahil ang kahirapan ay maaring maging katumbas ay kamatayan.
nakakatuwa namang malaman na nagagawa at nakakaya naman pala ng mga pilipino na magtiis sa paggastos at pagkonsumo ng bagay-bagay..sana noon pa nila ito ginawa para sa kanilang kapakanan..ngayon pa naman na ang mga kagustuhan ay nagiging pangangailangan na ng ibang pilipino at hindi ang kabaligtaran..
ngunit, nakakalungkot isipin na pati ang pagkain ay apektado na at umaabot pa sa puntong hindi na nakakakain pa..sana'y gumagawa o gumawa ng hakbang ang gobyerno sa problemang ito kahit na sabay-sabay at marami na ang pinoproblema nila..isa pa'y tungkulin nila ito na kanilang sinumpaan..
This just shows that the Filipinos become poorer and poorer... it's sad to hear about this but we can't really compare our standards with other countries like USA, Japan....
This is such a sad news, the quality of life here in the Philippines is dropping rapidly. What would happen to us in the future if this crisis would continue. Maybe 100% of Filipino household would further cut back on food, and maybe some might no longer have anything to eat. I hope this crisis won't reach that point.
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