Malacañang was pleased with the country’s slower headline inflation rate last month compared to January.
The decreased inflation rate reflects the government’s effective measures against inflationary pressures, Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary and Press Officer Atty. Claire Castro said in a press briefing in Malacañang on Wednesday.
“Magandang balita. Inulat ng Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) na bumagal sa 2.1 percent ang inflation rate o ang pagtaas ng presyo ng mga produkto at serbisyo sa bansa nitong Pebrero mula sa 2.9 percent noong Enero,” Castro said.
“Ito na ang pinakamababang antas na naiulat simula noong Setyembre 2024 (1.9 percent),” she added.
“Ang mas mababang antas ng inflation ay bunsod ng mas mabagal na pagtaas ng presyo ng food and non-alcoholic beverages na nasa 2.6 percent. Ang pagbagal naman ng presyo nito ay dahil sa mas mabagal na pagtaas ng presyo ng gulay at iba pang produkto,” the official said.
In 2025, the average inflation rate remained at 2.5 percent, well within the government’s annual target range of 2 to 4 percent, Castro said.
Castro said that the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) would continue to work on controlling the inflation rate and addressing any potential increase in the prices of other commodities.
The PSA reported that the slower headline inflation rate resulted from a deceleration in food inflation (2.6 percent down from 4.0 percent) and non-food inflation (1.7 percent down from 2.2 percent).
The agency reported that rice prices saw a sharper deflation, dropping to -4.9 percent from -2.3 percent. Prices have decreased month-on-month since July 2024 as international prices ease and tariffs are reduced.
The PSA reported that vegetable inflation decreased to 7.1 percent from 21.1 percent in the previous month, balancing the increase in meat inflation to 8.8 percent from 6.4 percent. | PND
