Manila: Government measures have helped cushion the impact of inflation on the poorest Filipino families, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said Tuesday. This statement follows a report from the Philippine Statistics Authority indicating that price deflation persisted for the bottom 30 percent income households, recorded at -0.2 percent in September 2025, slightly up from -0.6 percent in August.

According to Philippines News Agency, headline inflation slightly increased to 1.7 percent from 1.5 percent in August, driven by the impact of weather disturbances on food supply. Notably, food inflation surged to 19.4 percent from 10 percent in August, primarily due to higher vegetable prices. In response, Tiu Laurel stated that the Department of Agriculture (DA) has implemented measures to regulate the supply and prices of essential staples such as rice, sugar, and corn.

Tiu Laurel highlighted, “We have ordered the importation of certain vegetables and fish to augment local supplies and keep prices stable.” The DA has confirmed the importation of red and white onions, carrots, and broccoli to stabilize prices following recent weather disturbances. Rice inflation experienced a slight increase to -16.9 percent from a record-low of -17 percent in August.

Additionally, Tiu Laurel emphasized that the DA has maintained the maximum suggested retail price for 5-percent broken imported rice at PHP43 per kilogram, even amid the import ban. “Even while imposing a rice import ban, extended through year-end, we maintained the maximum suggested retail price and have increased the availability of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s PHP20 rice program in calamity-hit areas,” he added.