The share of Filipino families experiencing involuntary hunger declined slightly in the last quarter of 2025, according to the latest survey by Social Weather Stations.
Survey results showed that 20.1 percent of families reported being hungry and having nothing to eat, down from 22 percent in the previous quarter. The improvement marked a modest easing in national hunger levels toward the end of the year.
Data indicated that the decline was driven by better conditions in Metro Manila and Luzon overall. In contrast, hunger levels increased in the Visayas and Mindanao, continuing a long-standing regional gap in food security.
The survey also found that severe hunger, defined as being hungry and having nothing to eat often or always, affected 4.5 percent of families nationwide, pointing to persistent hardship despite the overall decrease.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development attributed the improvement to ongoing social protection programs, including the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program and the Walang Gutom Program, which provide food and cash assistance to millions of low-income households. The agency has also announced plans to expand community feeding initiatives.
While the latest figures reflect a downward shift in the national hunger rate, the uneven regional results and continued presence of severe hunger show that food insecurity remains a challenge for many Filipino families.
