Manila, Jan. 6 -- The Department of Agriculture (DA) on Tuesday vowed to tighten market monitoring and intensify its actions to address food inflation.

This came after the country's inflation hit 1.8 percent in December 2025, with food and non-alcoholic beverages among the major drivers, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).

Food inflation was driven by prices of rice and vegetables, with a recorded increase of 1.2 percent in December from 0.3 percent in November last year.

In a statement, DA Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. attributed last month's faster food price movements to holiday demand and the effects of the inclement weather on food production and supply.

"This means the DA must move faster - tightening ma...