Stricter regulation sought amid rice retail price uptickWorkers weigh sacks of rice at a National Food Authority (NFA) warehouse in Valenzuela City on February 19, 2026. MANILA, Philippines — Stricter regulation is needed to curb the rising retail prices of rice, an agricultural group said yesterday. Cainglet also noted a problem in the landed cost of imported and retail prices, stressing how market prices skyrocketed to P55 to P60. National Food Authority (NFA) administrator Larry Lacson admitted that while rice prices went up, they can only do so much in providing affordable rice. Aside from the Department of Agriculture’s P20 per kilo rice program, the NFA also has auctions of aging rice stocks.

Source: Philippine Star February 20, 2026 21:24 UTC