By Manila Bulletin
Published Jun 13, 2025 12:05 am
The country’s inflation dropped to a 66-month low in May. Unfortunately, food prices remain high.
This should be a cause for concern. We must bear in mind that in the heart of every Filipino home, the dining table holds more than the meals we take—it symbolizes dignity, aspirations, and the enduring hope for a better life.
But for millions today, especially those living on the fringes, that table is slowly emptying. The latest data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) show that inflation has dropped but this macroeconomic victory is not being felt inside the kitchen and the dining area of the average Filipino. On the contrary, the PSA said food prices remain elevated, volatile, and unforgiving—especially for the very people who can least afford them.
Meat prices rose by a staggering 7.9 percent in May 2025, largely due to prohibitively expensive pork. Fish and other seafood, long a staple of Filipino diets, posted an inflation of 5.7 percent. Mind you, these are not mere statistics. They represent mothers who stretch meals thinner than ever before, workers skipping breakfast to make ends meet, and children consuming less nutritious food that affects their learning, growth, and future.
We are not just dealing with inflation. We are dealing with food insecurity, a silent creeping crisis that strikes hardest at the middle-income earners and the marginalized—the very people who form the backbone of our economy, our schools, our hospitals, and our cities.
The government cannot afford to be complacent.
Yes, it is commendable that inflation has been curbed in general. But unless policies directly target the cost of basic food items, the data means little to hungry stomachs. The government must act decisively and with compassion. Subsidies for local farmers must be ramped up. Price ceilings must be imposed at the earliest sign that hoarding or price manipulation occurs. Agricultural supply chains need radical reform. Logistics, storage, and distribution systems should be modernized to reduce wastage and middleman-driven markups.
Importation may offer temporary relief, but it cannot be the cornerstone of our food strategy. We must produce, protect, and empower local food systems. We need better crop insurance, smarter irrigation, and comprehensive training for farmers to shift to climate-resilient and high-yield practices.
But this fight does not rest on the shoulders of the government alone.
The private sector, particularly large agribusinesses and retailers, must view food affordability not just as a business variable, but as a moral obligation. Supermarkets and food corporations can play a crucial role by sourcing from local farmers, controlling excessive profit margins on basic goods, and investing in community-based agricultural programs. Retail chains and restaurant groups should embrace transparency and resist the temptation to exploit scarcity for gain.
Every Filipino, too, holds a piece of the solution. We must support local producers when possible, waste less food, and become more mindful consumers. Urban gardening, cooperative buying, and community-based food programs can offer grassroots solutions that multiply when adopted en masse.
This is both an economic issue and a national moral test. What kind of country are we if a mother working two jobs cannot afford a decent meal for her children? What future do we shape if our children are fed mere calories without nutrition?
Let us not be lulled by the macro numbers. Let us instead demand leadership that sees beyond charts to the faces of real families. Let the government act with urgency. Let the private sector lead with conscience. And let every Filipino stand not just as a consumer, but as a steward of a more just and nourished nation.
Because when food becomes unaffordable, freedom itself begins to starve.
