Malacañang on Monday said hunger incidence and poverty self-rating among Filipinos have declined, crediting the administration’s social protection programs, particularly the Walang Gutom Program led by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said the government welcomed the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey showing a reduction in involuntary hunger nationwide, in line with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to prioritize the welfare of the most vulnerable sectors.

“Ang hunger incidence sa bansa ay bumaba sa tulong ng Walang Gutom Program ng Pangulo at ng DSWD (Hunger incidence in the country declined with the help of the President’s Walang Gutom Program and the DSWD),” Castro said in a press briefing at the Palace.

The Fourth Quarter 2025 survey, conducted from Nov. 24 to 30 with 1,200 adult respondents, found that 20.1 percent said they experienced involuntary hunger. This was lower by 1.9 points from 22 percent in September 2025.

Castro said the result reflects the growing impact of government interventions aimed at addressing food insecurity.

“Ibig sabihin lang nito ay ramdam na ang mabuting epekto ng social protection programs ng pamahalaan (This means that the positive effects of the government’s social protection programs are already being felt),” she said.

Castro said President Marcos has directed the DSWD to further strengthen the Walang Gutom Program, with plans to expand its coverage to 300,000 beneficiaries in 2026 as part of the administration’s commitment to eradicate hunger.

Aside from hunger incidence, Castro said poverty and food poverty self-ratings have also declined, citing the latest OCTA Research survey.

According to OCTA, the percentage of Filipinos who consider themselves poor dropped to 37 percent, a significant decrease from 54 percent recorded in September last year. The research group noted this as the largest decline in self-rated poverty within a three-month period.

Food poverty self-ratings also fell to 30 percent from previous levels of 40 to 49 percent.

Castro said the government will continue pursuing programs aimed at easing hunger and poverty, stressing that survey results only reinforce the need to sustain and expand targeted assistance to those most in need. (PNA)