THE Department of Agriculture (DA) has begun enforcing a maximum suggested retail price on key food items to keep prices in check during the holiday season, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said on Friday, Dec. 5, 2025.
The move comes as the government seeks to prevent price surges in imported rice, onions and carrots, alongside reinstated caps on pork and expanded importation of onions, carrots, meat and fish to bolster supply.
The announcement followed data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showing headline inflation eased to 1.5 percent in November, the slowest in three months. Inflation for the poorest 30 percent of households posted a 0.2 percent deflation, extending October’s decline and offering rare relief for families whose budgets are dominated by food.
Economic Planning Assistant Secretary Divina Gracia Del Prado said the steep drop in staple prices — rice down 15.4 percent and corn down 4.1 percent — played a decisive role in slowing inflation.
“Rice accounts for 8.9 percent of the average Filipino’s basket but 17.9 percent for the poor,” she said, highlighting why falling grain prices quickly ease household pressure.
Laurel said the DA is intensifying measures to keep food affordable as seasonal
demand peaks.
“The data behove us to make sure food prices are kept low to ease the financial burden of consumers, especially the poor,” he said. “We are trying our best to support the profitability of farmers while keeping
food affordable.”
He added that the agency is “slowly rationalizing” the food system despite the volume of commodities
requiring monitoring.
PSA data showed cereals and cereal products pulled down overall inflation by 3.3 percentage points, followed by sugar and desserts and fruits and nuts, reflecting broad declines across major food categories.
With holiday demand rising, officials said stable food prices remain essential to keeping inflation subdued and sustaining consumption — the key driver of the Philippine economy.
/ KOC