The Philippines Department of Finance published an update attributing the drop in full-year 2025 inflation to 1.7% to a “whole-of-government” approach combining price management and targeted assistance. The outcome was lower than the 2024 average inflation rate of 3.2% and below the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas target range of 2.0% to 4.0% for 2025. Supporting indicators highlighted include a 12.3% year-on-year decline in rice inflation, with the average retail price of rice at PHP 45.48/kg in December 2025 versus PHP 52.21/kg a year earlier, and average inflation for the bottom 30% income households at 0.3% in 2025. The DOF pointed to measures such as lowering the maximum suggested retail price for imported rice, expanding the ‘Benteng Bigas, Meron Na!’ program nationwide using a digital registry, Department of Agriculture MSRPs for pork and onions, crop-shifting coordination with the National Irrigation Administration, strengthened market monitoring, and December 2025 relief, emergency cash assistance and agricultural support including over PHP 7.8 million in Department of Social Welfare and Development relief and cash aid for affected tourism workers; transport cost measures included a temporary cap on transport network vehicle services surge pricing from December 17, 2025 to early January 2026.

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