More Filipino families went hungry in the first quarter of 2026, according to a Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey released on May 12.
The survey, done from March 24 to 31, showed that 23.2 percent of families experienced involuntary hunger—meaning they were hungry and had nothing to eat at least once in the past three months.
This is higher than 20.1 percent in November 2025 and the highest since March 2025, when it reached 27.2 percent.
Hunger was most common in the Visayas (28 percent), followed by Balance Luzon (22.4 percent), Metro Manila (22 percent), and Mindanao (21.7 percent). Compared to November 2025, hunger rose in the Visayas, Balance Luzon, and Metro Manila, but dropped in Mindanao.
SWS said the increase came from both moderate hunger (going hungry once or a few times) and severe hunger (going hungry often or always). Moderate hunger rose to 17.7 percent, while severe hunger slightly increased to 5.5 percent.
The survey also found that hunger was higher among families who considered themselves poor or food-poor.
Total hunger among self-rated poor families was 27.5 percent, while it was 32.6 percent among food-poor families.
Overall, 52 percent of families said they were poor, and 42 percent said they were food-poor.
The survey interviewed 1,500 adults nationwide, with a margin of error of ±3 percent for national results. (Ellalyn De Vera-Ruiz)
