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MANILA: The number of Filipinos who experienced involuntary hunger—or being hungry and having nothing to eat, at least once in the past three months—rose to 20 percent by the end of April, according to a recent report released by the Social Weather Stations (SWS).
SWS said it conducted the national survey from April 23 to 28. It released the report on Saturday (June 28).
Broken down, 16.4 percent of the 20 percent of respondents experienced moderate hunger, while 3.6 percent suffered from severe hunger.
“Moderate Hunger refers to those who experienced hunger ‘only once’ or ‘a few times’ in the last three months, while Severe Hunger refers to those who experienced it ‘often’ or ‘always’ in the previous three months,” the SWS explained.
The number of families who experienced hunger was highest in Mindanao, with 26.3 percent, followed by Metro Manila at 20.3 percent, Visayas at 19.7 percent, and Balance Luzon—or areas outside Metro Manila—at 17 percent.
The recent result of this survey is 0.9 percent higher compared to the findings of a similar SWS survey conducted earlier, from April 11 to 15 this year, which was 19.1 percent.
Both surveys follow an 8.1-point decline from 27.2 percent in March 2025, it added.
“The 0.9-point increase in hunger between April 11 to 15, 2,025, and April 23 to 28, 2025, was due to declines in Metro Manila and Balance Luzon, combined with increases in Mindanao and the Visayas,” the SWS disclosed.
“Compared to April 11 to 15, 2025, the incidence of hunger fell by 5.7 points from 26.0 percent in Metro Manila, and by 3.5 points from 20.5 percent in Balance Luzon. However, it rose by 9.0 points from 17.3 percent in Mindanao, and by 5.4 points from 14.3 percent in the Visayas,” it added.
In connection with the country’s hunger rate, the April 23 to 28 survey also found that 50 percent of Filipinos rated themselves as poor.
On the other hand, 8 percent believed they belonged to the “Borderline” or the line dividing poor and not poor, while 42 percent said they were not poor.
The late April 2025 national survey was conducted using face-to-face interviews with 1,500 adult participants (18 years and above. Of this figure, SWS said 600 are in Balance Luzon, and 300 each in Metro Manila, Visayas, and Mindanao.
“The sampling error margins are ±3% for national percentages, ±4% in Balance Luzon, and ±6% each for Metro Manila, the Visayas, and Mindanao,” it added. - Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN
