Vice President Sara Duterte on Tuesday voiced heightened concern over persistent inflation, a weakening peso and rising fuel prices, and cautioned Filipinos to be discerning of online information she claimed may be manipulated by “troll farms” as political tensions rise ahead of the 2028 national elections.

Speaking during an interview in The Hague, Duterte described the current economic pressures as a “triple whammy” affecting everyday Filipinos. 

“Triple whammy ang nangyari sa atin: sobrang taas na presyo ng fuel, krudo. Sobrang taas nu’ng palitan, exchange… Sobrang taas nu’ng inflation,” she said, referring to the combined impact of global fuel costs, peso depreciation and rising prices.

Her remarks underscore growing public unease about the cost of living in the Philippines, where inflation has recently accelerated, pushing prices of food, transport, utilities and household goods higher. 

According to data, inflation surged to its fastest pace in over three years in April, underscoring the squeeze on consumer budgets.

Duterte urged the government to prioritize assistance for the most vulnerable sectors struggling to cope with the economic strain. 

“Kung hindi man kaya tulungan ng administrasyon dapat tulungan nila ‘yung mga pinaka nasa ilalim kasi kapag walang-wala sila, they will resort to crime and violence na ayaw natin mangyari,” she said.

Market watchers have pointed to external factors such as persistent global oil price volatility — exacerbated in part by geopolitical tensions in the Middle East — as key drivers of domestic price pressures, even as policymakers debate adjustments to fiscal measures like fuel taxation and subsidies.

Duterte also raised alarms about alleged operations she described as “troll farms,” accusing them of spreading manipulated information on social media to shape public opinion and potentially smear political figures. 

She urged Filipinos to be cautious about accepting online content at face value.

“Particularly because puwedeng ma-manipulate ang information na lumalabas sa social media. Tulad na nga ng mga troll farms. Totoo ‘yun na meron talagang negosyo na ganoon,” Duterte said, adding that such tactics could create false impressions of popular sentiment.

Her comments come as political maneuvering intensifies in advance of the 2028 presidential elections, with Duterte widely viewed as a potential contender.

Duterte earlier tied with Sen. Raffy Tulfo at 46 percentage points apiece in a Pulse Asia presidential preference poll from 27 February to 2 March.