MANILA, Philippines – ITINUTURING ng Malakanyang na magandang balita para sa mga mamamayang Filipino ang pagbaba ng inflation sa 6.8% nitong Mayo.
Sinabi ni Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary at Palace Press Officer Claire Castro na senyales ito na unti-unti nang nagbubunga ang mga hakbang ng pamahalaan sa ilalim ng UPLIFT strategy.
“Pero hindi pa tayo kampante. May mga banta pa rin tulad ng posibleng pagtaas ng presyo ng langis at epekto ng El Niño. Kaya tuloy-tuloy ang ating mga hakbang upang mapanatiling abot-kaya ang mga bilihin, maprotektahan ang budget ng bawat pamilya, at makalikha ng mas maraming trabaho para sa mga Pilipino,” ayon kay Castro.
Sa kabilang dako, sinabi naman ng Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev) na nagpapatuloy ang napapanahon at interbensyon ng gobyerno habang bumagal ang inflation rate nitong Mayo, nagpaginhawa sa ilang puwersadong presyon mula sa tumataas na global oil prices.
Sa ulat, bahagyang gumaan ang inflation rate ng bansa sa 6.8% nitong Mayo mula sa 7.2% noong Abril.
Gayunman, maituturing na isa ito sa pinakamataas nitong mga nakaraang taon.
Sinabi ng Philippine Statistics Authority na ang pangunahing dahilan para sa pababa ng takbo ng headline inflation ay ang mas mabagal na taunang pagtaas ng inflation sa ‘transport segment, food, at housing, water, electricity, gas at iba pang fuels segment.’
“Major contributors dito ay yung pagbaba ng presyo ng diesel noong Mayo, ang ating inflation rate diyan ay nasa 58.5 percent. Noong Abril kasi triple digit itong inflation rate year-on-year, 122.7 percent,” ang winika ni National Statistician and Civil Registrar General Claire Dennis Mapa.
“While global oil prices remain elevated, transport inflation has begun to slow down. The government’s timely and targeted interventions help mitigate the impact of external shocks on Filipino households. This underscores the importance of maintaining responsive and coordinated policies that protect consumers while safeguarding economic stability,” ang sinabi naman ni DEPDev Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan.
Winika pa ng DepDev na “government measures to stabilize transport costs – including fuel assistance for public utility vehicle operators and drivers, as well as efforts to ensure an adequate fuel supply – eased the impact of higher fuel prices on commuters, transport workers, and businesses.”
Samantala, bumagal din ang food inflation sa 5.8% nitong Mayo mula 6.1% noong Abril, sinasabing “largely driven by slower price increases for vegetables (6.2 percent from 10.4 percent), fish (8.8 percent from 9.4 percent), and meat (-2.5 percent from -1.9 percent) amid oversupply in key producing areas.”
Gayunman, “price pressures on several key staples persisted. Rice inflation rose to 15.6 percent from 13.7 percent, and corn inflation rose to 25.5 percent from 21 percent. Inflation also increased for flour, bread, and other cereals, bakery, and pasta products (3.5 percent from 3 percent), underscoring the need to sustain interventions to improve agricultural productivity and strengthen food security.”
Sinabi ni Balisacan na ipagpapatuloy ng gobyerno ang pagpapatupad ng napapanahon, episyente at targeted measures para mas patatagin ang presyo at protektahan ang purchasing power ng mga filipino households.
“These measures, include expanding support for the most vulnerable sectors, procuring fuel to ensure an adequate supply, exploring alternative fuel sources, and accelerating the country’s transition to renewable energy,” ayon kay Balisacan.
“The government also aims to stabilize farmers’ earnings and strengthen their preparedness by reconvening the El Niño Task Force to implement cloud-seeding operations, deploy solar-powered irrigation systems, and roll out crop diversification programs,” dagdag na wika nito.
“While the easing of inflation in May is encouraging, we recognize that price pressures remain elevated. Thus, well-targeted government interventions are critical to cushioning the impact of domestic shocks, such as weather disturbances, and external headwinds, such as ongoing geopolitical tensions, while preserving business continuity,” ayon kay Balisacan,
“The government, through the UPLIFT Committee, will continue to monitor inflation and pursue measures to strengthen domestic food production, improve logistics and market efficiency, and ensure that vulnerable sectors receive timely support,” ang pahayag pa rin ni Balisacan. KRIS JOSE
