Hunger declines in NCR, Balance Luzon, Visayas, but rises in Mindanao —SWS

Around 20.3% of Filipino families experienced involuntary hunger at least once in the past three months, according to the June national Social Weather Survey.

The survey defines involuntary hunger as "being hungry and having nothing to eat."

The latest result was 2.9 percentage points lower than the 23.2% recorded in March 2026, but 0.1 point above the 20.2% average for 2025 and 0.8 below the record-high 21.1% average for 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, said the survey by the Social Weather Stations (SWS).

The survey revealed that the experience of hunger became highest in Mindanao at 20.4%, followed by the Visayas at 22.3%, Metro Manila at 21% and Balance Luzon at 17.3%.

"The 2.9-point fall in hunger between March 2026 and June 2026 was due to decreases in Metro Manila, Balance Luzon, and the Visayas, even as hunger rose in Mindanao," SWS said.

"Compared to March 2026, the incidence of hunger fell by 5.7 points from 28.0% in the Visayas, by 5.1 points from 22.4% in Balance Luzon, and by 1.0 point from 22.0% in Metro Manila. However, it rose by 2.3 points from 21.7% in Mindanao," it added.

Survey background

The second quarter survey was conducted from June 20 to 29, 2026, using face-to-face interviews of 1,200 adults (18 years old and above) nationwide: 300 each in Metro Manila, Balance Luzon (or Luzon outside Metro Manila), the Visayas, and Mindanao.

The sampling error margins are ±3% for national percentages and ±6% each for Metro Manila, Balance Luzon, the Visayas, and Mindanao.

The survey was non-commissioned.

Hunger

According to SWS, the 20.3% hunger rate in June 2026 was the sum of 15.8% who experienced moderate hunger and 4.5% who experienced severe hunger.

Moderate Hunger refers to those who experienced hunger “only once” or “a few times” in the last three months. Meanwhile, severe hunger refers to those who experienced it “often” or “always” in the previous three months.

Compared to March 2026, moderate hunger fell by 1.9 points from 17.7%, while severe hunger fell by 1.0 point from 5.5%.

In Metro Manila, moderate hunger fell by 2.6 points from 15.3% in March 2026 to 12.7% in June 2026, while severe hunger rose by 1.6 points from 6.7% to 8.3%, SWS said.

In Balance Luzon, moderate hunger fell by 3.6 points from 16.6% to 13.0%, while severe hunger fell by 1.5 points from 5.8% to 4.3%, it added

In the Visayas, moderate hunger fell by 3.0 points from 21.7% to 18.7%, while severe hunger fell by 2.6 points from 6.3% to 3.7%.

In Mindanao, however, moderate hunger rose by 2.7 points from 18.0% to 20.7%, while severe hunger fell by 0.4 points from 3.7% to 3.3%, SWS said. —LDF, GMA News