Customers buy rice priced from PHP40 to PHP65 per kg. at a stall at the Paco Public Market in Manila on Tuesday (March 17, 2026). The Department of Agriculture is considering a PHP50-per-kg. price cap on imported rice to temper rising costs, with prices in some markets reaching PHP60 to PHP65 due to higher freight rates linked to the Middle East conflict. (PNA photo by Yancy Lim)
