Research group IBON said that the three-year-high 9% inflation rate for the bottom 30% of Filipino families shows that the poorest are bearing the brunt of rising prices amid the Marcos administration\u2019s failure to address unabated oil price shocks. The group said the government\u2019s measures to cushion the impact of price hikes are too small for too few, while supply-side interventions are too shallow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
September inflation for the bottom 30% of income households was the highest since the 9.7% recorded in February 2023. Price increases accelerated for vegetables to 9% from 1.2% in August, fish to 8.4% from 8.1%, and rice to 23.6% from 22.5%. Faster price increases were also recorded in housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels, as well as transport.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The price of regular-milled rice rose from Php40 per kilo in September 2025 to Php50 in September 2026. The prices of selected vegetables monitored by the Philippine Statistics Authority became Php6 to Php15 more expensive, including cassava, kangkong, camote, tomato and ampalaya. Increases reached as much as Php22 for eggplant, Php23 for pechay, and Php32 for potatoes. Fish varieties also increased by Php4 to Php14.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Meanwhile, the monthly electricity bill of a household consuming 200 kWh in Metro Manila increased by Php331.46 to almost Php3,000 in September 2026 from a year ago. The cost of an 11-kilogram liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) tank rose by as much as Php463.80, from Php802.20-Php1,072.20 to Php1,031-Php1,536. Year-to-date net adjustments in petroleum products reached as much as Php77.25 per liter for gasoline, Php70.13 for diesel, and Php65.19 for kerosene, pushing up the cost of other goods and services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
IBON criticized the Marcos government for not using its national energy emergency powers under Executive Order (EO) No. 110 to meaningfully mitigate oil price shocks, while also failing to address the supply-side weaknesses behind high food prices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The government is not using its power to directly intervene in oil price setting in times of national emergency, as provided for in Section 14 (e) of the Oil Deregulation Law (RA 8479). It is also not using its power to control prices of basic necessities, as provided for in Section 8 of the Price Act (RA 7581).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The government is also not fully using its power to suspend taxes on oil products under the recent law on suspending or reducing petroleum taxes (RA 12316). Global oil prices breached US$80 per barrel, reaching US$102-103 by late September. This allows the suspension or reduction of petroleum excise taxes, yet only kerosene and LPG excise taxes have been temporarily suspended.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
IBON estimates 21.4 poor, low income and lower-middle class families with over 96 million Filipinos badly hit by rising prices. Yet the government\u2019s Unified Package for Livelihoods, Industry, Food and Transport (UPLIFT) has only given one-time assistance of Php1,500-5,000 to around 2.7 million beneficiaries, as of end-September. The expanded UPLIFT, in turn, has given one-time or monthly grants of Php2,000 to just 5.8 million beneficiaries, as of the third week of September.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
IBON also belied the Department of Economic Development\u2019s claim of meaningful supply-side intervention in the face of the looming Super El Ni\u00f1o. On the contrary, the latest reports from the Philippines Statistics Authority (PSA) indicate that the volume of crop production in the second quarter fell by 5.5% from the same period last year, even as the volume of fisheries production increased by just 2% over the same period.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As it is, the agricultural trade deficit in March-August 2026 since the oil price shocks of US$4.5 billion is already 23.8% higher than in the same period last year. This reflects the chronic weakness of agriculture, whose share in the economy is now at its smallest in the country\u2019s history. The worsening deficit also points to greater dependence on food imports which, given the depreciating peso, makes it even harder to keep domestic prices stable and affordable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Millions of Filipinos do not have the incomes or livelihoods to cope with soaring prices. The national average nominal minimum wage of Php518 is already Php801 short of the estimated Php1,319 national average living wage for a family of five\u2019s basic needs. Moreover, nearly four out of five (77%) employed Filipinos are in informal work that is poor-quality, low-paying and insecure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Marcos government can do more to protect Filipinos from the continuing price crisis, IBON said. Domestic oil price hikes can be moderated, price controls can be put on basic necessities, and fuel excise taxes and VAT on oil, electricity, and other basic goods can be suspended or removed. Substantial social protection, including fuel and other subsidies, should also be provided to vulnerable sectors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the medium and long term, government must strengthen domestic agriculture and other productive sectors so they can provide people\u2019s basic needs affordably and sufficiently. IBON said that protecting Filipinos from inflation cannot be reduced to temporary dole-outs or selective interventions: the Marcos government must directly confront the profiteering and structural weaknesses driving prices up, while building an economy that produces decent jobs, affordable food, and essential services for the majority.###<\/p>", "protected": false }, "excerpt": { "rendered": "
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