The Department of Agriculture (DA) is intensifying efforts to stabilize food prices and secure supply—particularly for pork and rice, two staples that weigh heavily on household budgets—to help in further slowing food inflation and ease the daily burden on Filipino families.
“It is the clear directive of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. that we ensure food is sufficient and affordable,” said Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. “We are expanding the reach of the P20 rice program and are studying a reduction in the suggested retail price (SRP) for imported rice—the national staple that dominates Filipino tables, especially among the poor.”
On Thursday, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported that headline inflation slowed to 1.3 percent in May, the lowest since the 1.2 percent recorded in November 2019. This deceleration was largely driven by a steady decline in rice prices—an area the DA has targeted through various initiatives.
Economic Planning Undersecretary and National Statistician Claire Dennis Mapa noted that the rollout of President Marcos’ P20 rice program, along with recent adjustments in retail rice prices, is expected to influence inflation through at least August.
Rice accounts for P9 of every P100 spent by the average Filipino. Among the bottom 30 percent of income households, that figure doubles. Reflecting this, inflation for that group fell to zero in May, from 0.1 percent in April.
Secretary Tiu Laurel added that the DA is reassessing its approach to the swine industry, revising previous measures to keep pork prices affordable. At the same time, the agency is fine-tuning supply management for fish and other essential goods to prevent sudden price spikes.
In a strong show of momentum, three new KADIWA ng Pangulo centers opened Thursday in Bacolod City, offering low-cost produce, including rice at ₱20 per kilo under the “Benteng Bigas, Meron Na!” initiative.
Assistant Secretary Genevieve Velicaria-Guevarra, who heads the DA’s Agribusiness and Marketing Division, said the launch brings the total number of P20 rice outlets to 87- exceeding the original target of 55 outlets by end-June. With support from the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), she said the program will soon reach more indigent families and minimum wage earners.
President Marcos has directed the DA to sustain the subsidized rice initiative through June 2028, with the goal of reaching up to 60 million Filipinos.
