Alarmed by the 13.7% rice inflation in April 2026, Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan urged the government to crack down on hoarders, profiteers, and abusive traders, warning of possible price manipulation despite claims of ample rice supply until June.
Pangilinan said the spike may be “artificial,” noting it could violate laws against economic sabotage and price manipulation.
He stressed the surge is hitting consumers, farmers, and fisherfolk hardest.
Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority showed headline inflation jumped to 7.2%—a three-year high—driven by rising food and transport costs. Rice inflation alone surged from 3.5% in March to 13.7% in April, while corn hit 21%.
The senator pushed for tighter monitoring, more support for local farmers, and less reliance on imports to stabilize food supply and prices.
“Ang solusyon sa inflation ay hindi lamang nakadepende sa pagkontrol sa presyo ng pagkain at iba pang pangangailangan. Higit sa lahat, dapat natin palakasin ang lokal na produksyon ng pagkain at siguraduhin na may sapat na suporta para sa ating mga magsasaka at mangingisda na may pangunahing papel sa seguridad sa pagkain,” said Pangilinan.IMT
