The government is intensifying efforts to ensure sufficient supply and keep the prices of key commodities affordable despite recent weather disturbances, the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev) said.
DEPDev made the assurance after the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported on Friday that headline inflation picked up to 1.5 percent in August from 0.9 percent in July.
In a briefing, National Statistician Dennis Mapa said the latest data brought the year-to-date average inflation to 1.7 percent, still below the lower end of the government's 2 percent to 4 percent target range.
Mapa said weather disturbances contributed to the increase in food prices last month.
While rice continued to post a deflation of 17 percent in August, fish inflation accelerated to 9.5 percent from 6.3 percent, emerging as the top contributor to overall inflation in August.
This was driven by slow import arrivals, adverse weather, and above-normal rainfall that disrupted fishing activities in key areas.
Vegetable inflation also rose to 10 percent from a 4.7 percent deflation in the previous month.
On the other hand, meat inflation decreased to 7.1 percent from 8.8 percent but continued to be a major contributor to inflation.
The PSA reported that the overall inflation rate for the bottom 30 percent of income households at the national level recorded a slower annual decrease of 0.6 percent in August compared to 0.8 percent in the previous month.
This brings the national average inflation rate for this income group from January to August to 0.4 percent.
“While inflation remains broadly manageable, the recent figures highlight how adverse weather conditions directly impact prices,” DEPDev Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said.
Balisacan cited the importance of closely monitoring the country’s weather outlook due to its potential impact on agricultural production.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) has forecast seven to 15 tropical cyclones between September 2025 and February 2026.
He also cited how La Niña conditions, which may develop from September to December, could lead to flooding and crop damage in high-risk areas.
“In anticipation of these weather shocks, we must ramp up preparatory activities and proactively ensure sufficient food supply to protect Filipino consumers from price volatility,” he said.
To support production and recovery, the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Operations Center allocated agricultural inputs to regional field offices.
These include rice, corn, high-value crop seeds, drugs and biologics for livestock and poultry, and fish stocks with the necessary aquaculture equipment.
Registered farmers affected by extreme weather may also access financial and insurance assistance through the Survival and Recovery Loan Program of the Agricultural Credit Policy Council, indemnification under the Philippine Crop Insurance Corp., and rehabilitation funding through the Quick Response Fund.
“We also welcome the Department of Agriculture’s upcoming soft launch of a command center in November that will enhance data-driven management of the food supply chain and improve supply-demand forecasting. Initially focused on the rice value chain, the system will eventually cover high-value crops, livestock, poultry, and fisheries. It will also establish a central registry of food and cold storage facilities and dry warehouses, including their stock levels,” Balisacan said.
The Food and Drug Administration also approved the commercial use of Volvac BEST (Baculovirus Expressed System Technology) AI plus ND, the country’s first avian influenza vaccine.
The vaccine provides immunity against the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) subtype H5N1 and velogenic Newcastle disease, both of which pose serious threats to poultry, public health, and food security.
“We remain committed to implementing strategic policies that ease supply constraints and improve market efficiency. Our priority is to protect Filipinos, especially the most vulnerable, from the impact of rising prices while building resilience in our production systems to ensure stable and affordable food commodities for every household,” Balisacan said.
PNA PHOTO
