The Philippines remains at a “moderate” level of hunger, ranking 66th out of 123 countries in the 2025 Global Hunger Index (GHI) released by Concern Worldwide, Welthungerhilfe, and the Institute for International Law of Peace and Armed Conflict.
According to the report, the Philippines scored 13.4 out of 100, reflecting a steady improvement from its 21.4 score in 2008 and 17.7 in 2014, but the country still trails behind the regional average of 8.2. Despite progress, hunger remains a concern due to lingering issues of undernourishment, child stunting, child wasting, and child mortality.
Four indicators of hunger
The GHI measures hunger under four key indicators. For the Philippines, the 2025 report recorded the following:
Undernourishment (2022–2024): 3.0%
Child wasting (2020–2024): 5.4%
Child stunting (2024): 21.7%
Child mortality (2023): 2.7%
These figures contributed to the country’s overall moderate classification.
Improvement through the years
The index shows that the Philippines’ hunger situation has significantly improved over the past two decades:
2000 (1998–2002): 23.9 (serious)
2008 (2006–2010): 21.4 (serious)
2016 (2014–2018): 17.7 (moderate)
2025 (2020–2024): 13.4 (moderate)
The consistent decline in GHI scores since 2000 indicates gradual progress in addressing food insecurity and malnutrition.
Comparison with neighbors
The Philippines’ 13.4 score places it alongside Thailand (11.1) and Malaysia (13.6), which are also in the moderate category.
In contrast, Myanmar (15.3) and Laos (20.3) remain in the “serious” category, while China (below 5.0) and Mongolia (5.1) are rated “low.”
Globally, the average GHI score stands at 18.3, while the highest levels of hunger are recorded in Somalia (42.6), the Democratic Republic of the Congo (37.5), South Sudan (35.2), Madagascar (35.2), and Haiti (35.7)—all classified as “severe.”
What the GHI measures
The Global Hunger Index tracks hunger levels annually across countries to highlight progress and identify areas needing intervention.
A lower score indicates less hunger, with the following severity scale:
Low: <5.0
Moderate: 10.0–19.9
Serious: 20.0–34.9
Alarming: 35.0–49.9
Extremely alarming: ≥50.0
