A recent Stratbase-SWS National Survey, conducted from March 15 to 20, 2025, revealed that 27.2% of Filipino families experienced involuntary hunger—defined as being hungry and not having enough food to eat—at least once over the past three months. This marks a concerning increase in food insecurity among the population.
The March 2025 hunger rate represents a 6.0-point rise from the 21.2% reported in February 2025. It is also the highest level recorded since the peak of 30.7% during the COVID-19 pandemic in September 2020. Additionally, the current figure is 7.0 points higher than the 2024 annual average of 20.2%, reflecting a worrying trend of rising hunger rates.
This surge follows two consecutive months of increases, starting with 15.9% in January 2025, signaling a persistent and growing challenge to food security in the country.
