FRESH PRODUCE. Fresh highland and lowland vegetables abound in a stall at the Paco Public Market in Manila on Thursday (May 28, 2026). The Department of Agriculture is rolling out a series of measures to balance the impact of oversupply and high transport costs on the retail prices of vegetables. (PNA photo by Yancy Lim)
MANILA, Philippines — The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said Saturday that headline inflation in May could settle between 7.1 percent and 7.9 percent, driven by higher prices of key food commodities and the depreciation of the peso.
In a month-ahead inflation forecast, the central bank said rising prices of rice, vegetables, and meat were among the main sources of upward pressure on consumer prices during the month. A weaker local currency also contributed to inflationary risks.
“The BSP projects May 2026 inflation to settle within the range of 7.1 to 7.9 percent. Upside price pressures were driven by rising prices for rice, vegetables, and meat, as well as the depreciation of the peso,” the BSP said.
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