Philippines Faces Rising Child Malnutrition as Stunting Rates Climb

Malnutrition among children in the Philippines has worsened, with stunting rates rising for the first time since 2015. A recent survey shows one in four children under five is now affected, while older children and adolescents also face significant nutritional challenges. The survey, conducted between April 23, 2024, and March 31, 2025, covered 91.5% of target households across all 118 provinces and highly urbanised cities. It revealed that stunting among children below five reached 25.3% in 2024.

The problem is more severe in rural areas, where 27.8% of children are stunted compared to 23.2% in urban areas. The highest rates were found in Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (36%), Zamboanga Peninsula (34.6%), Negros Island Region (30.9%), and Mimaropa (30.3%).

Malnutrition does not end with early childhood. Among children aged five to ten, 18.9% suffer from malnutrition, while the figure rises to 21.4% for adolescents. Additionally, 18.6% of school-age children are underweight. The crisis also affects pregnant women, with 16.7% nutritionally at risk—this jumps to 40% among adolescents under 20.

Food insecurity compounds the issue, affecting 32.6% of individuals. Many households resort to buying food on credit or borrowing from relatives to cope. Representative Roman Romulo, cochair of Edcom 2, highlighted the link between nutrition and education. He stated that addressing the nutrition crisis is essential to tackling the learning crisis. The survey underscores the urgent need for intervention across multiple age groups and regions.