Food costs squeeze Quezon’s low-income families

LUCENA CITY, Quezon — Inflation among the poorest 30 percent of households in Quezon province rose to 7.8 percent in September, up from 6.4 percent in August, as food and rice prices continued to climb, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported.

In its statistical release dated October 16, the PSA said food inflation among the province’s lowest-income households accelerated to 8.6 percent in September from 5.3 percent the previous month.

Rice inflation reached 25.3 percent, compared with 20.8 percent in August, putting further pressure on families for whom the staple accounts for a substantial share of household spending.

The inflation rate for the bottom 30 percent of households was higher than Quezon’s overall rate of 7.3 percent in September.

Inflation measures the rate at which consumer prices change over time. When inflation rises, households generally need to spend more to buy the same basket of goods and services.

The latest figures highlight the continuing strain on low-income families and the importance of monitoring food prices, particularly rice, as officials assess changes in the cost of living and household purchasing power.