The government is stepping up targeted measures to contain rising food prices as the oil price shock triggered by the Middle East conflict spilled over into the broader economy, pushing up logistics and transport costs, Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. said.
Food inflation climbed to 6.1 percent in April, more than double the 2.7 percent recorded in March, reflecting mounting pressure on household budgets. The impact has been particularly pronounced among lower-income groups, with inflation for the bottom 30 percent of households accelerating to 8.5 percent from 0.1 percent a year earlier.
Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority showed rice as the primary driver, with prices jumping 13.7 percent from 3.5 percent in the previous month. Corn, fish, and vegetables also posted faster increases, while cereals accounted for more than half of the rise in food inflation, highlighting how sensitive staple prices are to supply chain costs.
Tiu Laurel said the surge in petroleum prices drove up transport and distribution expenses, feeding directly into higher retail food prices despite stable supply.
“Clearly, this price shock is a knee-jerk reaction to the surge in prices of petroleum products. We have ample supply for rice, poultry, meats, vegetable, and other commodities but the cost of logistics and transport has propped up prices,” he said. “We have moved to provide financial aid to agri-truckers to keep food prices affordable, and mobilized other offices to bring food from production hubs to markets.”
To blunt these cost pressures, the Department of Agriculture, in coordination with other agencies, has reestablished dedicated food lanes, removing toll fees for agricultural trucks and reducing port charges to speed up deliveries and cut logistics costs. Fuel subsidies have also been rolled out to ease the burden in the food supply chain.
At the same time, the DA’s Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Division has intensified market monitoring, conducting more frequent visits to ensure retail prices remain within reasonable levels and to deter excessive markups.
The government is also accelerating the rollout of key programs, including the Benteng Bigas, Meron Na! initiative under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., which offers rice at P20 per kilo to vulnerable sectors, alongside the Rice-for-All program for the broader market.
Tiu Laurel added that authorities are prepared to impose a P50 per kilo price cap on imported rice if price pressures persist.
The coordinated measures reflect a broader effort to contain second-round effects from fuel-driven inflation, as policymakers move to stabilize food prices while keeping supply chains efficient and responsive.
