Malacañang Palace on Monday said hunger in the Philippines has eased, crediting the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s “Walang Gutom” program.

The “Walang Gutom Program,” or the Food Stamp Program (FSP), aims to address involuntary hunger, malnutrition, and stunting among Filipinos.

Through the FSP, beneficiaries can purchase selected nutritious foods from accredited farmer-driven stores and other partner merchants. The program not only helps address hunger in the country but also gives local farmers and fisherfolk a platform to sell their agricultural products.

“In line with the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to ensure the welfare of our countrymen who are in dire need of assistance, the DSWD welcomed the results of the SWS (Social Weather Station) survey on the decline in hunger incidence in the country,” said Palace press officer, Undersecretary Claire Castro, in a press briefing on Monday.

The survey found that 20.1 percent of respondents experienced involuntary hunger, which Castro said is an improvement compared to last year.

According to the agency, the decline in the number of Filipinos experiencing hunger is a great achievement for the nation.

“This simply means that the good effects of the government’s social protection programs, such as the Walang Gutom Program, which aims to completely end hunger in the country, are being felt,” said Castro.

Also, in accordance with the order of President Marcos Jr., the DSWD will further strengthen the Walang Gutom Program to expand its coverage and serve 300,000 beneficiaries by 2026.

Apart from the decline in hunger incidence in the country, poverty and food poverty self-ratings have also decreased, in a separate survey by a research firm.

Based on the results of the latest ‘Tugon ng Masa’ survey, only 37 percent of respondents said they were poor — a big difference from 54 percent in September 2024.

The firm further said the improvement was the largest drop in self-rated poverty in just three months.

Moreover, food poverty incidence also dropped to 30 percent from the previous 49 percent.

“Regardless of the survey results, the government will continue to take action to alleviate the poverty and hunger that the country experienced before,” according to Castro.