Romualdez: Marcos admin prioritizes lower essential goods costs, manages inflation

House Speaker Martin Romualdez emphasized Saturday, Feb. 22, that lowering the cost of essential goods and ensuring economic stability are top priorities for the Marcos administration.

According to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), inflation eased to 2.9% in January 2025, but food inflation rose to 4%, reflecting supply chain vulnerabilities.

Romualdez stressed that high prices of basic needs directly impact Filipino families and it is the government's duty to ensure affordable food supplies.

He noted that addressing inflation requires both sound monetary policy and intelligent management of food and essential goods supplies.

The House speaker also highlighted ongoing efforts, such as the Department of Agriculture's finalization of a 55,000-metric-ton minimum access volume quota for pork imports to stabilize prices.

Romualdez emphasized the need to boost domestic agricultural production in the long term while addressing short-term shortages through importation and local production support.