22% of Filipino families experienced hunger in Q3 2025, SWS survey shows

A Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey in September 2025 revealed that 22% of Filipino families experienced involuntary hunger in the past three months, an increase from 16.1% in June 2025.

This figure interrupted earlier gains in food security and halted the downward trend recorded earlier this year.

The national hunger rate averaged 20.2% so far in 2025, matching last year's average and slightly below the record high of 21.1% in 2020.

Hunger increased across the country except in the Visayas, where the hunger rate dropped to 17.7%.

Metro Manila recorded the highest hunger rate at 25.7%, followed by Balance Luzon at 23.8%, while Mindanao recorded the sharpest jump, climbing 10 points to 19.7%.

Of those who experienced hunger, 16.7% reported moderate hunger and 5.2% reported severe hunger, with both categories seeing an increase.

The problem affected both the poor and non-poor, though the poor remained more vulnerable.