DTI, PAGASA hold basic goods prices until April 16

Filipino consumers will not see price increases on a range of basic necessities and prime commodities until April 16, 2026, after the Department of Trade and Industry reached an agreement with the Philippine Amalgamated Supermarkets Association, or PAGASA, to keep current shelf prices in place.

In a March 31, 2026 release, the DTI said the arrangement is meant to protect consumers from sudden cost increases and help keep supply stable in the market.

DTI Secretary Ma. Cristina A. Roque and PAGASA Executive Director Steven T. Cua said member supermarkets agreed to maintain existing prices for a broad list of BNPCs, or basic necessities and prime commodities.

The products named in the release cover food staples such as canned sardines, canned meat, instant noodles, coffee, processed milk, salt, bread, and condiments, as well as household and hygiene items including laundry soap, bath soap, candles, batteries, and bottled water.

For shoppers, the announcement lands where household budgets are usually thinnest: on the everyday items bought weekly, sometimes daily, in groceries and supermarkets.

The DTI said the official suggested retail price, or SRP, bulletin will be posted in supermarkets and groceries nationwide. It will also be made available online through the DTI website and on the agency’s official social media platforms, a step the department said is intended to improve price transparency and give consumers a clearer basis for comparison.

The move is significant, but it is not the same as a formal government-imposed price freeze under emergency rules. Republic Act No. 7581, or the Price Act, was enacted to stabilize the prices of basic necessities and prime commodities and protect consumers from unreasonable increases.

Republic Act No. 10623, which amended the law, further defines prime commodities as goods that are not classified as basic necessities but remain essential to consumers during emergencies and similar situations.

That legal backdrop helps explain why the March 31 announcement matters. Rather than invoking stronger state price-control powers, the DTI secured a voluntary commitment from retailers to hold the line on selected essentials for a fixed period.

It is a narrower tool, but one aimed at the same pressure point: keeping basic goods within reach while the government continues to monitor supply and pricing behavior in stores.

The timing also comes as families continue to watch expenses closely.

The Philippine Statistics Authority said headline inflation stood at 2.4% in February 2026. That is far from the sharpest inflation episodes seen in recent years, but small movements in the prices of canned goods, noodles, milk, soap, and bottled water still ripple quickly through household spending.

For now, the message from government and retailers is straightforward: consumers should expect no increase in the covered BNPCs through April 16, 2026, and can check SRP postings in stores or online to verify prevailing prices.

The DTI and PAGASA said the agreement is meant to keep prices steady and ensure reliable access to basic goods for Filipino families.