Press Release

The AO will make food cheaper. Right now, it’s very difficult as an honest exporter to sell food to the Philippines.

The Philippines has among the highest rates of protection for its domestic goods, with a protection level of around 27% as a share of farm receipts across all agricultural goods. With such levels of trade protection, we should not be surprised why food is expensive in the country. Such protection levels also do not directly […]

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Statement on the pronouncements against the Public Service Act amendments (RA 11659)

Rep. Joey Sarte Salceda As the first author of the PSA amendments in the 17th Congress and its principal author in the 18th Congress, I feel the accusation to be bizarre that the Public Service Act amendments was approved by Congress because then-President Duterte threatened us. It’s bizarre especially coming from a retired Senior Associate […]

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Statement on the February 2024 jobs report

The February 2024 jobs report shows encouraging signs of a consolidating jobs market. The tops jobs growing sectors are more durable sectors, such as craft and related trades workers (511,000 more jobs), plant and machine operators (481,000 more jobs), while declines were recorded among less durable sectors like skilled agricultural workers (378,000 less jobs) and […]

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Statement on the March 2024 inflation figures

Rep. Joey Sarte Salceda As I said last month, once again, it’s all about rice. Food inflation accounts for some 57 percent of the total inflation this March. Without the abnormal price of rice in the global market, inflation would have been closer to 3.1 percent, which is well within acceptable range. Corn prices are […]

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