The economic managers of President Rodrigo Duterte have apparently been shaken out of their denial stage now that the entire August showed 6.4% inflation rate. Thus, no less than President Duterte himself announced last week he is ready even to adopt a “free-for-all” importation policy, if need be, to dampen the politics-driven inflation panic. Thus, these remedial measures could be immediately implemented through the executive fiat that President Duterte can invoke when the 17th Congress adjourns for one month starting Oct. 11. But apparently, this was not the only problem behind the rice supply problem. More troublesome is the politics-driven inflation panic that does the damage most.

Source: Philippine Star September 16, 2018 15:33 UTC