The government remains unfazed despite a slight uptick in inflation last month, noting that the figure remains well within its full-year target range of 2 to 4 percent, Malacañang said on Wednesday.
According to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), the country’s inflation rate rose to 1.7 percent in September, up from 1.5 percent in August, driven primarily by higher transportation and food costs.
In a press briefing, Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Atty. Claire Castro cited insights from the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev), saying the increase stemmed mainly from the rise in vegetable prices following recent typhoons that hit various parts of the country.
“According to Secretary Go and Secretary Balisacan, ito pong 1.7 percent ay hindi ito nakakapagpabagabag sa gobyerno dahil ang pinaka-projected band ay two to four percent this year, at malayo pa ito (this 1.7 percent is not a cause for concern for the government as the projected band is two to four percent this year, and this is still far from it),” Castro said.
She added that economic planners still see the inflation rate increasing at a slow and manageable pace.
Special Assistant to the President for Investment and Economic Affairs Frederick Go also echoed this sentiment, emphasizing that the government remains confident in its economic outlook despite the month-on-month increase.
The PSA noted that September 2025’s inflation rate is still lower than the 1.9 percent recorded in the same month last year, suggesting a continued moderation in price increases over the longer term.
The biggest contributors to the inflation uptick were the Transport, Food, and Non-Alcoholic Beverages indexes.
The Palace reaffirmed its commitment to closely monitor inflationary pressures and implement responsive policies to ensure that price increases remain under control as the country heads into the final quarter of the year.