Government interventions by the Department of Agriculture (DA) have helped insulate the country’s poorest households from the broader uptick in consumer prices, even as headline inflation reached a six-month high in September.

The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported that inflation for the bottom 30 percent income households remained in deflation at –0.2 percent in September, easing from –0.6 percent in August. From January to September 2025, inflation for this segment averaged 0.3 percent—well below the national average and suggesting improved price stability for essential goods.

For the general population, headline inflation rose to 1.7 percent in September from 1.5 percent in August, within the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ forecast range for the month. The increase was attributed mainly to higher vegetable prices following recent weather disturbances.

Economic Planning Undersecretary and National Statistician Dennis Mapa said that while adverse weather continues to disrupt agricultural production, rice remains a stabilizing factor in the food basket. “Rice prices continue to act as a stabilizing influence, with forecasts pointing to sustained double-digit deflation for that food staple,” Mapa said during a news conference.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. noted that the DA is balancing import measures with targeted domestic interventions to keep prices in check. “We have ordered the importation of certain vegetables and fish to augment local supplies and keep prices stable,” he said. “Even while imposing a rice import ban—extended through year’s end—we maintained the maximum suggested retail price and have increased the availability of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s P20 rice program in calamity-hit areas.”

In September, food and non-alcoholic beverage inflation among low-income households stayed in deflation at –2.0 percent. Rice prices fell by 19.1 percent year-on-year, while corn and sugar declined 8.7 percent and 0.8 percent, respectively. Prices of several fruits, including mangoes, guavas, and mangosteen, dropped by 6.7 percent.

Despite upward pressure on overall inflation, the DA’s calibrated actions are helping sustain affordability in essential goods for vulnerable households—a key factor in maintaining consumer confidence and rural purchasing power.