House Speaker Martin Romualdez said Saturday, Feb. 22, that lowering the cost of essential goods and ensuring economic stability​ were the Marcos administration’s top​ and urgent priority.

​Stressing that every Filipino family is directly affected​ if the prices of basic needs are high, Romualdez says that it is the government's "obligation" to ensure that food is affordable.

​His pronouncement came after the latest economic data indicated that while inflation eased to 2.9 percent in January 2025, food inflation rose to 4 percent. This reflected the country’s supply chain vulnerabilities.

According to Moody’s Analytics, external factors such as global trade frictions and domestic challenges — including typhoon damage to agricultural production — have kept inflation risks elevated.

Romualdez ​believes there is a need for a dual approach; that is, maintaining sound monetary policy while taking decisive action to bolster domestic production.

​"Ang pagtugon sa inflation ay hindi lang trabaho ng Bangko Sentral. Dapat itong sabayan ng matalinong pamamahala sa suplay ng pagkain at iba pang pangunahing bilihin​ (Addressing inflation is not only the job of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas. It should complemented by a smart administration of food and basic needs),​​" ​he said.

“Ang layunin natin ay tiyakin na ang presyo ay hindi basta tataas-bababa nang walang direksyon. Dapat nating gawing matatag at predictable ang ating food supply para sa kapakanan ng mga mamamayan ​(Our goal is to ensure that food prices will not easily increase or decrease without any direction. We should make the food supply strong and predictable for the benefit of the people)," he added.

One of the government’s response to food price volatility is the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) finalization of a 55,000-metric-ton minimum access volume (MAV) quota for pork imports​, which aims to stabilize pork prices.

However, Romualdez ​said that while importation can address short-term shortages, long-term food security depends on boosting domestic agricultural production.

​But for now, he said there are ongoing efforts to strengthen local production​.

In La Union and Pangasinan, 32 farmers’ cooperatives and local government units ​already received 35 agricultural machines worth P71.6 million under the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) Mechanization Program.

With the program's second phase set to receive an increased P9-billion annual budget, Romualdez ​believed that improved mechanization will translate to higher yields and lower food costs.

Market data also reflect mixed price movements in staple goods. The average retail price of rice slightly declined to P54.18 per kilogram in early February, with regular-milled rice experiencing a decrease while special rice saw a marginal increase. Meanwhile, meat prices—including fresh pork kasim—rose compared to the previous month.

​He pointed out that fluctuating prices in essential goods highlight the urgency of reinforcing local supply chains and developing long-term market stabilization programs.

“Ang solusyon ay nakasalalay sa matibay na produksyon, episyenteng supply chain, at patas na kompetisyon sa merkado. Kailangan nating tiyakin na ang bawat Pilipino ay may access sa de-kalidad at abot-kayang pagkain​ (The solution is based on strong production, efficient supply chain and fair market competition. We need to ensure that every Filipino has access to quality and affordable food)," he said.