NPCC adopts DA bid to put ₧50 cap on rice price By Ada Pelonia
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HE National Price Coordinating Council (NPCC) has adopted the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) recommendation to impose a price cap of P50 per kilo on imported rice for 30 days following a spike in retail price of the grain. The NPCC said the measure aims to curb “unreasonable” price increases and prevent market abuse, citing Republic Act (RA) 7581, as amended, and consistent with the Executive Order (EO) 110. “The NPCC hereby endorses to
the President the issuance of the necessary Executive Order to ensure affordable rice for Filipino consumers while maintaining market stability.” Earlier, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. disclosed that the government was considering a price ceiling on foreign rice shipments as freight rates from leading supplier Vietnam doubled following the conflict in the Middle East. This jacked up the landed cost of imported DT8 variety to nearly $500 per metric ton (MT), according to the DA chief. Despite this, Tiu Laurel empha-
sized that retail prices ranging from P60 to P65 per kilo reported in some markets are “profiteering,” as it goes beyond the reasonable maximum price of P48 to P50 per kilo. He said the agency was looking into the legality of imposing a price cap and, if legally allowed, will recommend this to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Tiu Laurel is also mulling over a price ceiling on local rice, but noted that this would likely be imposed after the harvest season to avoid profiteering. Despite this, the DA chief is banking on the ongoing dry sea-
son harvest to temper the rising retail prices of the staple grain. Meanwhile, Tiu Laurel flagged the Middle East war’s upside risks on food prices driven by rising logistics and input costs, particularly urea-based fertilizer. The agency recently presented its “worst case scenarios” should the surge in oil prices driven by the conflict persist through August, which could catapult rice prices to P67.12 per kilo. The latest prevailing retail price of premium rice stood at P60 per kilo; well-milled at P48 per kilo; and regular milled at P43 per kilo, based on a government report.
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Friday, March 27, 2026 Vol. 21 No. 166
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By Andrea E. San Juan
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HE Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) announced Thursday that monetary officials decided to maintain interest rates after holding an off-cycle meeting to “reassure” the markets and send a signal that a rate hike would further weaken the economy. The BSP made the decision to maintain key policy rates after implementing a 25-basis-point (bps) rate cut in February. “We judged that an off-cycle policy meeting was called for,” BSP Governor Eli M. Remolona Jr. said during a briefing on the central bank’s monetary policy stance on Thursday. “Globally, aside from oil, other commodity prices have climbed, notably fertilizer, which would add to food inflation,” Remolona said, adding that “Domestic fuel prices are rising.” The seven-man Monetary Board (MB), the highest policy-making body of the BSP, met on Thursday and decided to maintain the policy rate at 4.25 percent. Remolona said that while the MB sees See “Rates,” A2
RISING RISKS AMID URBAN GROWTH Towering skyscrapers dominate the skyline of Bonifacio Global City in Taguig, a major financial and commercial hub that houses key institutions and corporate offices. Despite the district’s steady economic activity, concerns over escalating global oil prices loom large. A report from the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev) warns that inflation could surge to double-digit levels under a worst-case scenario, with diesel prices projected to spike by as much as 176 percent if crude oil reaches $200 per barrel amid the ongoing Middle East crisis. NONIE REYES
FUEL TAX CUT POWER TO BOOST EXPORTERS’ COMPETITIVENESS By Bless Aubrey Ogerio
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HE government’s newly expanded authority to reduce or suspend fuel excise taxes could help ease cost pressures on exporters and preserve their competitiveness amid volatile global conditions, the Philippine Exporters Confederation Inc. (Philexport) said. On Wednesday, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. signed Republic Act (RA) 12316, a measure certified as urgent, which
grants him the authority to suspend or reduce excise taxes on petroleum products for up to two years. The move is intended to provide a policy lever to temper rising pump prices driven by global oil market disruptions. Philexport described the law as a timely intervention, particularly as exporters, manufacturers, and logistics providers grapple with the ripple effects of higher fuel costs across supply chains. “For exporters, especially See “Power,” A2
PhilHealth, PSA to set up ID one-stop-shop By Andrea E. San Juan
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HE Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) and the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) have inked a co-location agreement to provide a “one-stop shop” for National ID registration as well as enable secure healthcare access across 200 regional and provincial sites in the country. “By embedding PhilHealth registration and authentication with PhilHealth services, we are not simply sharing physical space, we are converging our efforts to provide a true one-stop shop experience for our citizens,” National Statistician Claire Dennis
S. Mapa said during the signing of the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between PhilHealth and PSA on Thursday in Mandaluyong City. With this, Mapa said citizens can now register for their national ID or update their information while securing healthcare access, “streamlining two essential tasks into one convenient process.” By leveraging the secure registry of the national ID system, the national statistician explained, PhilHealth can “guarantee” that the right services and benefits reach the right individuals. Mapa underscored that for too long, having access to basic healthcare benefits meant going through a maze of paperwork and
“By embedding PhilHealth registration and authentication with PhilHealth services, we are not simply sharing physical space, we are converging our efforts to provide a true one-stop shop experience for our citizens.” —National Statistician Claire Dennis S. Mapa
“redundancy.” “Today, we take a massive step to change this,” added Mapa. Through the co-location initiative, PhilSys registration is available “directly” at selected PhilHealth offices, allowing members to register for their National ID while accessing
PhilHealth services. At the same event, PhilHealth also launched the PhilHealth Check Utility (PCU) which “integrates” PhilSys data to verify identities in real time, perform biometric liveness checks, and match records for accuracy, ensuring that only valid claims are processed. “The system is fully integrated into key programs, including the Yaman ng Kalusugan Program [YAKAP] and the GAMOT benefit availment process, streamlining the patient journey from consultation to medicine access,” PhilHealth explained in its statement. PhilHealth President and CEO Edwin M. Mercado said the PCU See “ID,” A2
PESO EXCHANGE RATES n US 60.0070 n JAPAN 0.3765 n UK 80.2294 n HK 7.6759 n CHINA 8.6984 n SINGAPORE 46.8512 n AUSTRALIA 41.6809 n EU 69.3801 n KOREA 0.0399 n SAUDI ARABIA 15.9959 Source: BSP (March 26, 2026)