Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez (File photo)
MANILA – House Speaker Martin Romualdez on Friday called for collective action from local government units and national agencies to cushion the impact of rising prices and inflation.
Romualdez, on the sidelines during the meeting of the House small committee tackling the amendments in the 2024 General Appropriations Bill in Makati City, said civil servants should synchronize their efforts to implement government programs from the national to local levels.
“Our collective action, from local government units to national agencies, must reflect a single, unified goal," he said.
"Now, more than ever is the time for unity and teamwork. Let's roll up our sleeves, work double-time, and deliver real results for our kababayans (countrymen)," he added.
Romualdez said he expects the prices of daily necessities, particularly food, will decrease with the onset of harvest season.
"But this isn't just about waiting for harvests. This is about all of us in government coming together to ensure our people feel relief faster," he said.
He noted that the government has been proactive in implementing efforts to assist people most affected by the rising prices due to global inflation.
He particularly cited the digital Food Stamp Program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development granting struggling families an allowance of PHP3,000 monthly.
This is timely assistance to provide a lifeline for families facing food scarcity and extra support to pregnant and nursing mothers, the Speaker said.
He highlighted that aid is also being channeled to drivers of public transportation like jeepneys and buses to offset their fuel expenses.
As for farmers, the government, Romualdez said, is committing to purchase their rice yields at improved rates, safeguarding their livelihoods and ensuring they receive just compensation for their hard work.
“Farmers, the heroes behind our country's food supply, haven’t been overlooked. Financial assistance is flowing to rice farmers, with an additional incentive," he added.
Philippine Statistics Authority Undersecretary and National Statistician Dennis Mapa reported that headline inflation settled at 6.1 percent in September this year, higher than the 5.3 percent recorded in August.
Mapa said the higher headline inflation rate during the month was primarily brought about by the higher year-on-year increase in the heavily weighted food and non-alcoholic beverages at 9.7 percent from 8.1 percent in the previous month.
The main contributor to the higher inflation of food and non-alcoholic beverages was the faster increase in the prices of cereal and cereal products with an inflation of 14.1 percent from 8.3 percent in August and meat at 1.3 percent from -0.1 percent the previous month.
For rice alone, inflation went up to 17.9 percent from 8.7 percent in August.
Mapa said transport, with an inflation rate of 1.2 percent from 0.2 percent in the previous month, also contributed to the uptrend of the headline inflation. (PNA)
