More Filipino families are facing hunger, with the latest survey from Social Weather Stations (SWS) revealing that 27.2% of households experienced involuntary hunger at least once in the past three months—marking the highest rate since September 2020 during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The nationwide survey, commissioned by the Stratbase Group and conducted from March 15 to 20, 2025, showed a noticeable increase from 25.9% in December 2024 and a sharp jump from 21.2% just a month earlier in February.
Involuntary hunger refers to instances where families go hungry due to lack of food. Of the 27.2% recorded in March, 21% said they experienced moderate hunger—only once or a few times—while 6.2% suffered from frequent or constant hunger, classified as severe.
The Visayas posted the highest hunger rate at 33.7%, followed by Metro Manila (28.3%), Mindanao (27.3%), and Balance Luzon (24%). The uptick was attributed to rising hunger levels in Visayas, Balance Luzon, and Mindanao, while Metro Manila figures remained mostly unchanged.
Compared to February, hunger rates increased by 13.7 points in the Visayas, 4.9 points in Balance Luzon, and 4.0 points in Mindanao.
The recent findings also show the March 2025 hunger level is 7 points higher than the annual average of 20.2% recorded in 2024. The survey was based on face-to-face interviews with 1,800 registered voters and had a ±2.31% margin of error at the national level.
