Rising food costs are pushing the Department of Agriculture (DA) to step up efforts to protect both consumers and producers from inflationary pressures. The move comes as new data show that low-income households are facing faster price increases, signaling potential strain on household budgets if global uncertainties persist.

Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showed that inflation for the poorest families jumped to 2.5 percent in February 2026, up from 1.6 percent in January and 1.5 percent a year earlier. The increase was mainly due to higher costs for food and non-alcoholic beverages.

Food inflation alone rose to 1.6 percent in February from 0.7 percent the previous month, though it remained below the 2.6 percent recorded in February 2025.

DA Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. said authorities are closely monitoring markets. “We have intensified our price monitoring activities to ensure that supply and price of food remain stable even in the face of challenges,” he said.

The department is also preparing contingency measures. “We are now taking steps to secure supply so food and farm inputs are sufficient in anticipation of price shocks that may follow the current situation in the Middle East,” Tiu Laurel added.

Rice continued to influence February’s inflation trends. While prices of the staple fell year-on-year, the pace slowed to 3.4 percent from an 8.5 percent drop in January, partly driving higher food inflation. Corn, flour, bread, fish, seafood, vegetables, fruits, and milk also saw faster price increases.

Food inflation contributed 0.6 percentage point to overall inflation, underscoring the sector’s role in shaping consumer prices and the importance of maintaining stable supply amid rising global uncertainties.

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