By Dean Aubrey Caratiquet
Consistent with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to ease the burden on Filipinos, agencies under the UPLIFT Committee strive to double down on government programs that would help the citizenry navigate these challenging circumstances.
These efforts have not gone to waste, as the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported on Wednesday that the country’s headline inflation rate slowed to 6.2% in July from 6.4% in June.
This downward trend in inflationary pressures is attributed to a decline in transport inflation from 12.8% in June to 11.9% in July, which was complemented by a stable food inflation rate, which remained at 5.3% amid sharper rice inflation.
In a media release, the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev) welcomed this development, which is indicative of the efficacy of various interventions that the administration has undertaken to support price stability.
DEPDev Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said in a statement, “While challenges remain, particularly in managing food price pressures, these results show that our interventions are making a difference in easing the impact on Filipino households.”
Among the measures supporting price stability are government assistance programs for the transport sector. As of 24 July 2026, P2.09 billion, or 84% of the P2.5-billion Fuel Subsidy Program, had been disbursed to benefit 498,570 public utility vehicles, while P356.1 million in fuel assistance had been provided to 89,551 PUV drivers under the P10-per-liter Fuel Subsidy Program.
Moreover, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said that the agency is on track to complete 380 mechanical drying systems by 2027, which is expected to strengthen the domestic rice supply and reduce post-harvest losses.
To further safeguard food supply against climate-related risks, the government will also intensify the distribution of seed and fertilizer in water-abundant rice-growing areas in southern Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, while continuing support for drought-affected farmers to minimize production losses.
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