MANILA – The Department of Agriculture’s (DA) focused measures to stabilize the supply and prices of key food items such as rice, sugar, and corn have helped shield the country’s poorest households from the impact of rising costs, even as overall inflation rose to its highest level in six months, data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showed Tuesday.

The PSA reported that price deflation for the bottom 30 percent income households eased to –0.2 percent in September from –0.6 percent in August. From January to September, inflation for this group averaged 0.3 percent, indicating greater price stability for basic goods compared to the broader population.

In contrast, headline inflation for all households climbed to 1.7 percent in September, up from 1.5 percent in August and the fastest pace since March’s 1.8 percent.

National Statistician and Economic Planning Undersecretary Dennis Mapa attributed the uptick to weather-related disruptions in vegetable production, which have pressured food inflation. He warned that prices could remain elevated in October but noted that rice continued to serve as a stabilizing factor, with sustained double-digit deflation expected.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. acknowledged the strain caused by recent weather disturbances on food supply and household incomes.

“We have ordered the importation of certain vegetables and fish to augment local supplies and keep prices stable,” Laurel said. “Even while imposing a rice import ban—extended through year’s end—we maintained the maximum suggested retail price and have increased the availability of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s P20 rice program in calamity-hit areas.”

In September, food and non-alcoholic beverage inflation among low-income households remained in deflation at –2.0 percent. Rice prices plunged 19.1 percent year-on-year, while corn dropped 8.7 percent, sugar declined 0.8 percent, and fruit prices such as mangoes, guavas, and mangosteen fell 6.7 percent.

Despite mounting inflationary pressures, the DA’s interventions appear to be helping sustain affordability for vulnerable households—a balance that will require continued vigilance in the months ahead.