DA tightens food watch as inflation pressures buildFresh vegetables are displayed at a market in Quezon City on March 4, 2026. MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Agriculture (DA) has tightened its food watch initiative following faster inflation. This base effect contributed to the uptick in food inflation,” the department said. “Food inflation alone accounted for 0.6 percentage point of the country’s overall February inflation,” the DA said. This sharper rise signals that household budget pressures could intensify if global risks worsen, the DA warned.

Source: Philippine Star March 06, 2026 16:32 UTC