THE incidence of involuntary hunger in the Visayas rose to 19.7 percent in the first quarter of 2025, an increase from 14.3 percent in the previous quarter, according to the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey.
The figure for the Visayas is close to the national hunger rate, which stood at 20 percent, or one in five Filipino families.
The national rate was a slight increase from 19.1 percent in April but lower than the 27.2 percent recorded in March, according to the survey released by SWS Friday, June 27, 2025.
Mindanao also saw a rise in hunger, with its rate increasing to 26.3 percent from 17.3 percent. In contrast, the rate dropped in Metro Manila to 20.3 percent from 26 percent and in Balance Luzon (provinces outside Manila) to 17 percent from 20.5 percent.
SWS said the national rate comprised 16.4 percent who experienced “moderate hunger,” defined as happening “only once” or “a few times,” and 3.6 percent who experienced “severe hunger,” or hunger that occurred “often” or “always.”
Nationally, hunger remains higher among poorer households. The incidence among self-rated poor families increased to 25.9 percent from 24.4 percent, while the rate for families who rated themselves food-poor was 28.4 percent.
The First Quarter 2025 Social Weather Survey was conducted from April 23 to 28 through face-to-face interviews with 1,500 adults nationwide, including 300 from the Visayas.
The survey has sampling error margins of ±3 percent for national percentages, ±4 percent for Balance Luzon, and ±6 percent each for Metro Manila, the Visayas, and Mindanao.
Data were weighted using 2025 population projections from the Philippine Statistics Authority.
The hunger-related questions have been asked in 153 SWS surveys since July 1998.
The survey was non-commissioned and conducted independently by SWS as a public service. / CDF