One in every five Filipino families experienced involuntary hunger during the second quarter of 2026, according to a Social Weather Stations survey. Overall hunger dipped slightly to 20.3 percent in June from 23.2 percent in March, driven by declines in both moderate and severe hunger across the country.
SWS Survey Tracks Second-Quarter Hunger Rates
A nationwide survey conducted by Social Weather Stations between June 20 and 29 reveals that 20.3 percent of respondents experienced involuntary hunger—defined as having nothing to eat at least once over the preceding three-month period. This figure marks a modest improvement from the 23.2 percent recorded in March.
The polling organization divides reported hunger into two distinct categories. Moderate hunger—covering families that went hungry only once
or a few times
in the last three months—dropped from 17.7 percent to 15.8 percent. Meanwhile, severe hunger, representing those who experienced it often
or always
over the same timeframe, edged down from 5.1 percent to 4.5 percent.
Regional Shifts in Mindanao, Visayas, and Luzon
Geographic breakdowns from the June 2026 poll show marked regional variations in food insecurity. Mindanao recorded the highest hunger rate in the country at 24 percent, rising from 21.7 percent in the previous survey. The Visayas followed at 22.3 percent, though this represents an improvement from its earlier 28 percent reading.
In Metro Manila, the hunger rate stood at 21 percent, shifting downward from 22 percent. The rest of Luzon experienced the steepest drop among all regions, falling to 17.3 percent from 22.4 percent.
Self-Rated Poverty and Household Classifications
Families identifying as poor reported a higher hunger rate of 24.5 percent, though this is down from 27.5 percent in March. For households that classified themselves as non-poor or borderline poor, the hunger rate dropped to 16.2 percent from 18.5 percent.
Parallel to these hunger figures, the survey captured how Filipino families view their financial standing. Exactly 49 percent of respondents considered their families poor, while 37 percent rated themselves as not poor.
The remaining 14 percent were categorized by the polling firm as borderline.
