Headline inflation in the Philippines quickened to 1.7 percent in September, the fastest pace since March, as rising transport, food, and restaurant costs drove up consumer prices, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported on Tuesday.
Inflation likely rose to 1.9 percent year-on-year in September from 1.5 percent in August, driven by higher food prices following recent tropical storms that damaged agricultural output.
The Philippines' total rice inventory rose to 2.07 million metric tons at the end of September—coinciding with the start of the wet season harvest and a two-month import ban aimed at supporting palay prices.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. and Japanese Minister for Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Shinjiro Koizumi met on the sidelines of the 47th ASEAN Agriculture and Forestry Ministers Meeting to discuss deeper bilateral cooperation in agriculture, including enhanced trade, technology transfer, and sustainability efforts.