MANILA – If there is someone to blame for the nine-year high 6.4-percent inflation rate in the Philippines in August, it is United States President Donald Trump, according to President Rodrigo Duterte.
Duterte said the tariff ban being implemented by Trump’s administration is one of the culprits behind the high inflation.
“Inflation dahil iyan kay Trump, when Trump raised ‘yung mga tariff niya pati banned other items, nagkalokoloko,” Duterte said before the Filipino community in Jordan on Friday night
But he assured Filipinos that the government is finding ways to control the inflation.
“I am not apologizing, there is really inflation in the Philippines and we’re trying to control it,” the President added.
Presidential Spokeman Harry Roque said in a separate media briefing in Jordan on Friday that the government is doing everything to lessen the impact of the inflation rate to Filipinos.
“Malinaw naman sa ating taongbayan na hindi pinababayaan ni Presidente ‘yung issue ng inflation, kaya nga po sinusulong na yung tariffication sa Kongreso para bumaba ang presyo ng bigas,” Roque said.
“At ito rin po ang dahilan kung bakit sabi ni Presidente ay pabubuksan niya yung mga warehouse ng mga nagsasamantala at mga hoarders na nagiging dahilan para tumaas ang presyo ng bigas,” he added.
Inflation hit 6.4 percent in August, smashing the 5.9 percent predicted by the Department of Finance.
It was also the fastest increase in nearly 10 years, close to 6.6 percent last recorded in March 2009./PN
