The stunting rate among Filipino children aged two years and below declined in 2025, Department of Health (DOH) Secretary Edwin Mercado said.

“The stunting rate slightly decreased from 22.5 percent in 2023 to 21.1 percent in 2025,” Mercado said during a budget hearing at the House of Representatives.

The DOH chief said the figures indicate that eight out of 10 children aged two years and below have adequate height for their age.

“Eight out of 10 children aged 2 years old and below have adequate height for their age,” he said.

Despite the improvement, Mercado acknowledged that the country remains far from its target.

“We are still far from our target, especially our Millennium Development targets,” he said.

By 2028, the DOH aims to bring the stunting rate among Filipino children under five years old down to 17.9 percent.

According to the DOH, stunting can negatively affect a child’s physical growth and brain development.