MANILA, Philippines – The percentage of Filipino families experiencing involuntary hunger climbed to 27.2 percent in March 2025, marking the highest rate since September 2020, when hunger peaked at 30.7 percent during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The latest SWS survey, conducted from March 15-20, 2025, showed a sharp 6.0-point increase from February’s 21.2 percent and a 7.0-point jump from the 2024 annual hunger average of 20.2 percent.

“The Stratbase-SWS March 15-20, 2025 National Survey found that 27.2 percent of Filipino families experienced involuntary hunger – being hungry and not having anything to eat – at least once in the past three months,” the survey noted. 

Hunger increased in most regions

The survey also found that hunger rates rose in the Visayas, Balance Luzon, and Mindanao but remained nearly unchanged in Metro Manila.

The highest hunger incidence was recorded in the Visayas at 33.7 percent, followed by Metro Manila at 28.3 percent, Mindanao at 27.3 percent, and Balance Luzon at 24 percent.

“Compared to February 2025, the incidence of hunger rose by 13.7 points from 20 percent in the Visayas, 4.9 points from 19.1 percent in Balance Luzon, and 4.0 points from 23.3 percent in Mindanao. However, it hardly moved from 27.3 percent in Metro Manila,” it said.

Moderate and severe hunger rising

The March 2025 hunger rate includes 21 percent of families experiencing Moderate Hunger, meaning they went hungry “Only Once” or “A Few Times” in the past three months, and 6.2 percent suffering from Severe Hunger, meaning they went hungry “Often” or “Always.”

Compared to February, Moderate Hunger increased by 5.1 points from 15.8 percent, while Severe Hunger rose slightly by 0.9 points from 5.3 percent.

The survey interviewed 1,800 registered voters nationwide, with 300 respondents in Metro Manila, 900 in Balance Luzon, 300 in the Visayas, and 300 in Mindanao. It has a sampling error margin of ±2.31 percent at the national level and ±5.66 percent for each major region except Balance Luzon, which has ±3.27 percent.