Poll: Self-rated poverty down, hunger rises

MANILA, Philippines — Fewer Filipinos considered themselves poor even as the hunger rate increased in the last quarter of 2025, an OCTA Research group survey showed.

The Dec. 3 to 11 survey showed that only 37 percent of respondents considered their families poor during the polling period.

It was down by a record 17 points from 54 percent obtained in a similar OCTA survey in September 2025.

Those who considered their families as “not poor” increased from 13 percent to 22 percent, while those who could not say if they are poor or not increased from 33 percent to 41 percent.

Except in Mindanao, where it increased from 63 percent to 67 percent, self-rated poverty went down across areas nationwide.

It was lowest in balance Luzon at 22 percent (from 49 percent), followed by those in Metro Manila at 33 percent (from 40 percent) and the Visayas at 40 percent (from 68 percent).

“While a large share of households may have recently crossed out of self-rated poverty between Q3 and Q4 2025 – possibly reflecting improved incomes, employment conditions or easing cost pressures – many may remain close to the poverty threshold,” OCTA said.

“Sustaining these gains may therefore depend on policies that reinforce income stability, manage price volatility and protect households against short-term economic shocks, alongside targeted, region-specific interventions,” it added.

The survey found improvements in self-rated food poverty, or being poor based on the food they eat.

It went down from 49 percent in September last year to 30 percent in the latest survey.

Meanwhile, respondents who are “not food poor” increased from 19 percent to 31 percent, while those who cannot say if they are food poor or not increased from 32 percent o 39 percent.

Hunger rises

Still, the OCTA survey found a higher percentage of Filipinos who experienced involuntary hunger in the last quarter of the year.

From 11 percent in September 2025, respondents who said they experienced hunger at least once in the past three months increased to 18 percent.

Those who said no dropped from 89 percent to 84 percent.

Across areas, the hunger rate was highest among those in the Visayas and Metro Manila at 22 percent (from 12 percent and six percent, respectively), followed by those in Mindanao at 19 percent (from eight percent) and rest of Luzon at 11 percent (from 15 percent).