MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Agriculture (DA) is implementing a series of measures to protect farmers, fisherfolk, and consumers from rising costs triggered by surging fuel prices, Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. said on Tuesday.
Food inflation for the bottom 30 percent households recorded a faster annual growth of 3.7 percent in March 2026 from 1.9 percent in the previous month, according to a report by the Philippine Statistics Authority. This was mainly driven by a 3.4 percent increase in rice prices, compared to a 3.7 percent decline in the same month last year.
Cereals accounted for 41.8 percent of food inflation in March, followed by fish and seafood at 36.2 percent, and vegetables at 21.1 percent.
The DA said the government was employing a "whole-of-government" approach to address this, adding that its support measures are designed to prevent price increases and stabilize commodity prices. These interventions include financial and input support, logistics and market stabilization, and support for infrastructure and agricultural resilience.
Tiu Laurel said these interventions were part of broader efforts to address the ongoing energy emergency, as directed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
While prices are expected to remain elevated in the near term, Tiu Laurel assured the public that the country's food supply remained sufficient.
