Latest news with #ClaireDennisMapa
GMA Network
3 days ago
- Business
- GMA Network
PH economy expanded by 5.5% in Q2 2025 — PSA
The Philippine economy grew marginally in the second quarter of 2025 amid the growth seen in services, agriculture, and industry sectors, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). The country's gross domestic product (GDP) —the value of goods and services produced in a period— grew slightly faster by 5.5% in the April to June 2025 compared to the 5.4% growth seen in the January to March 2025 period, PSA chief and National Statistician Claire Dennis Mapa reported at a press conference in Quezon City on Thursday. The second quarter GDP growth, however, was slower than the 6.5% growth rate in the same period in 2024. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
5 days ago
- Business
- GMA Network
Rice inflation to remain negative in next four months —PSA
The retail price of rice, the country's staple food, is expected to continue its contraction in the next four months due to base effects and continuous arrival of imported grain, the Philippine Statistics Authority said Tuesday. At a press conference, National Statistician and PSA chief Claire Dennis Mapa said rice saw a sharper year-on-year deflation or 'negative inflation' at -15.9% in July from -14.3% in June. Mapa said the -15.9% rice inflation was the lowest for the staple since January 1995. 'In the next four months we will still be seeing negative inflation for rice,' the PSA chief said. The trend of easing inflation for rice seen since August 2024 was consistent with the PSA's expectation that it will begin easing towards the second half of 2024 due to base effects, particularly when it began its uptrend in August 2023, as well as the impact of lower rice import tariff which took effect early July last year. To illustrate the contraction in rice inflation seen last month, Mapa bared the year-on-year national average prices of regular, well-milled, and special rice varieties during the period. In particular, the following are the average prices of rice at the national level in July 2025: Regular milled: P41.31 per kilo from P50.90 per kilo in July 2024 Well-milled: P47.60 per kilo from P55.85 per kilo Special: P56.83 per kilo from P64.42 per kilo year-on-year Proposed rice import tariff hike On the Department of Agriculture's recommendation to increase the tariffs on imported rice from 15% to 25%, Mapa said any increase in tariff would result in 'an increase in the retail price.' However, he clarified that the PSA is still monitoring the developing situation but said any effect on prices would depend on its timing. Nevertheless, the PSA chief said the expectation for rice is it would remain at a negative inflation rate for the entire year. In a separate statement, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said that increasing the rice import tariff could help curb excessive imports while generating much-needed revenue to support programs that boost local farmers' productivity and competitiveness. 'This is a delicate balancing act between our duty to protect rice farmers from those who undervalue their produce and ensuring consumers have access to affordable rice,' said Tiu Laurel. The DA also recommended a temporary halt in rice importation. Enacted in 2018 to liberalize rice importation, the Rice Tarrification Law (RTL) empowers the President to halt imports under specific conditions. Specifically, Section 3, as amended by Republic Act No. 12078 last December, allows the President to suspend or prohibit further importation 'when there is an excessive supply of imported or locally produced rice resulting in an extraordinary decrease in local prices.' The suspension may apply for a specific period or volume until supply and prices stabilize. In July 2024, Marcos reduced rice tariffs to 15% to provide relief to consumers amid soaring world prices at that time. That move, along with other DA initiatives—including the implementation of a maximum suggested retail price for imported 5% broken DT8 rice starting January—helped bring down prices of imported rice from over P60 per kilo to around P43 per kilo. Globally, bumper harvests—as well as lifting of India's rice export ban, a record-breaking 9.08 million metric tons of palay produced by the Philippines in the first half of the year—have put downward pressure on prices, particularly from exporting countries. From over $700 per metric ton, Vietnamese rice DT8 variety which is the main type that is now widely favored by the Philippine market now sells for $470 per ton, freight-on-board as of last week, according to the DA. With cheaper imports flooding the market, Tiu Laurel said reports indicate that some private traders are now buying palay for as low as P8 to P10 per kilo—well below the production cost of P12 to P14 per kilo. Farmers have attributed this sharp decline to the influx of cheaper imported rice. Currently, the landed cost of 5% broken imported rice has dropped to about P35 per kilo—or even lower in some cases. Tiu Laurel said that even if the President adopts the DA's recommendations, the relief would be temporary. He stressed the need to amend the RTL to give the NFA greater flexibility in releasing its rice stocks and influencing both palay and rice prices. 'When its regulatory powers are restored, the NFA could provide the DA with more precise industry data, including consumption patterns and price trends as well as supply levels per region and province, which are invaluable in crafting more responsive policies,' said Tiu Laurel. Allowing the NFA to resume selling stocks purchased from local farmers would also free up warehouse space, enabling the agency to procure more palay. According to the secretary, by rule of thumb, producing one sack of rice requires the NFA to procure approximately two sacks of palay. 'Now that we've helped lower inflation, the DA's next challenge is to tackle rice and pork issues to keep food inflation in check,' said Tiu Laurel. —AOL, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
31-07-2025
- General
- GMA Network
PSA: Only 70.8% of Filipinos aged 10–64 functionally literate
National Statistician Claire Dennis Mapa presents the PSA's findings on functional literacy on Thursday, July 31, 2025. Sherylin Untalan/GMA Integrated News The Philippines is facing a comprehension crisis, according to newly released government data, with more than 1 in 5 Filipinos aged 10 to 64 having difficulty understanding what they read—despite being able to read, write, and compute. This alarming gap was exposed in the 2024 Functional Literacy, Education, and Mass Media Survey (FLEMMS), unveiled Thursday, July 31, by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). According to National Statistician Claire Dennis Mapa, the basic literacy rate—the share of people who can read, write, and compute—is 93.1%, but only 70.8% are considered functionally literate, meaning they can also comprehend. 'For every nine individuals aged 10 to 64 who can read, write, and compute, two have difficulty with comprehension,' Mapa said during his presentation at SEAMEO INNOTECH in Quezon City. The 22.3-point gap reveals a troubling reality behind seemingly strong literacy numbers—what some observers now call a hidden learning crisis. New definitions reveal deeper truths This year marks a turning point in the way literacy is measured in the country. The PSA, in consultation with DepEd and EdCom II, revised its definitions: Basic literacy now includes numeracy alongside reading and writing. Functional literacy adds the crucial skill of comprehension, tested directly for the first time. Previously, even those who merely finished high school were automatically counted as functionally literate. But PSA analysis of 2019 data showed that 2% of high school completers could not comprehend what they read—prompting the agency to remove automatic classifications and instead assess every individual aged 5 and up. 'There's no more automatic assignment. Everybody is tested now,' Mapa said. A national problem with local faces Mapa emphasized that the updated FLEMMS is now more granular, with results available down to the provincial and highly urbanized city level—the most detailed literacy survey yet. Key findings show staggering disparities: Tawi-Tawi posted a functional literacy rate of just 33.2%, meaning only 1 in 3 residents aged 10–64 there can read, write, compute and comprehend. BARMM had the highest illiteracy rate at 14.4%. Zamboanga Peninsula (Region IX) had the lowest functional literacy among regions at 59.3%. In contrast, Benguet led provinces at 87.9%, while San Juan City topped all highly urbanized cities with 94.5%. Women ahead, seniors behind Women consistently outperformed men across literacy metrics: 74.1% of women aged 10–64 are functionally literate, compared to 67.6% of men. Age matters: The 20–24 age group had the highest functional literacy (78.3%), while seniors aged 60–64 had the lowest at 57.8%. Mapa said these patterns reflect both generational access to education and the growing impact of digital information environments, which are now being captured in new modules on ICT skills and problem solving. Education doesn't guarantee comprehension The survey reinforced the strong link between educational attainment and literacy: 93.2% of post-baccalaureate individuals were functionally literate. Only 10.8% of those with no schooling passed the functional literacy test. Still, Mapa cautioned against equating diplomas with understanding. 'Completing high school does not necessarily mean you understand what you read,' he said, aligning with EdCom II findings and the World Bank's 2022 learning poverty estimate that 91% of Filipino 10-year-olds could not read and comprehend a simple story. Mapa clarified that while methodologies differ, both reports signal the same problem — that school completion is no longer a reliable measure of learning. Philippines still competitive in ASEAN—barely The PSA also compared the country's performance against ASEAN peers. Using the standard 'can read and write' definition: The Philippines scored 94.6%, slightly behind Malaysia (95.7%) and Indonesia (96.7%). But unlike most countries that rely on proxy answers (from a household head), the Philippines tested individuals directly—a more rigorous method. 'We directly tested over half a million individuals, five years old and above,' Mapa said, noting that this sets the Philippine data apart from most ASEAN states. More data to come: digital literacy, adult competencies The PSA announced that further results from FLEMMS will be released in the coming months, including: A new Digital Literacy module, measuring skills in data handling, content creation, online safety, and collaboration. The Philippines' first participation in the OECD-aligned Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC), covering 11,000 households. From national data to local action Mapa said PSA's goal is not only to inform national policymakers, but also to empower local governments by providing literacy data tailored to their cities and provinces. 'We want LGUs to own the data—this is your province's result, your city's challenge. What actions should your local government take?' he said. The next FLEMMS is scheduled for 2027, a shorter three-year interval to help track progress before the end of the current administration. — BM, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
06-06-2025
- Business
- GMA Network
Jobless Filipinos rose to 2.06M in April 2025, says PSA
The number of Filipinos without jobs or livelihoods rose to over two million in April 2025 as more people entered the labor force, seeking jobs, during the period but only few were absorbed by the market, according to the results of the Philippine Statistics Authority's latest Labor Force Survey. At a press briefing on Friday, National Statistician Claire Dennis Mapa reported that unemployed persons, ages 15 and above, increased slightly to 2.06 million in the fourth month of the year from 1.93 million in March 2025. Year-on-year, jobless individuals climbed by 23,000 from 2.04 million in April 2024, according to the PSA chief. As a percentage of 50.74 million participants in the labor force —who are actively looking for labor opportunities during the period — the number of unemployed persons translated to an unemployment rate of 4.1%, up from 3.9% in March and 4% in April last year. 'Dumami kasi ang mga kasama sa labor force, labor force participation, so siya 'yung factor… 'pag tumataas ang labor force participation, hindi naman lahat na-absorb lahat para maging employed persons,' Mapa said. (The increase in the number of those joining the labor force was the factor… when labor force participation rises, not everyone is absorbed to become employed persons.) Labor force participants grew by 340,000 from April 2024 and by about 780,000 from March 2025's 49.96 million. Of the 340,000 year-on-year growth in labor force participation, the PSA chief said about 317,000 became employed while 23,000 were not absorbed. 'Despite the slight uptick in unemployment, the Philippine labor market continues to demonstrate resilience amid global headwinds. We remain on track to meet our target unemployment range of 4.4% to 4.7% set under the Philippine Development Plan 2023-2028,' said Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev) officer-in-charge and Undersecretary for Policy and Planning Rosemarie Edillon. —AOL, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
05-06-2025
- Business
- GMA Network
PSA: Rice inflation seen to average negative in 2025
At a press conference in Quezon City on Thursday, National Statistician Claire Dennis Mapa reported a sharper year-on-year deflation or 'negative inflation' in rice at -12.8% in May 2025 from -10.9% in April 2025. The retail price of the Philippines' staple food rice is expected to continue to go down, settling at a negative inflation rate for the whole of 2025, the Philippine Statistics Authority said on Thursday. At a press conference in Quezon City on Thursday, National Statistician Claire Dennis Mapa reported a sharper year-on-year deflation or 'negative inflation' in rice at -12.8% in May 2025 from -10.9% in April 2025. For the January to May period, rice inflation clocked in at -7.7%, according to the PSA chief. Last month also marked the 11th consecutive month of decline in rice's inflation print and the fifth month in a row that the rate of the staple's cost had been contracting. The trend of easing inflation for rice seen since August 2024 was consistent with the PSA's expectation that it will begin easing towards the second half of 2024 due to base effects, particularly when it began its uptrend in August 2023, as well as the impact of lower rice import tariff which took effect early July last year. 'The expectation is that it will continue to go down, definitely there are base effects. It will continue to be negative [inflation] for at least until August… but definitely the average for the whole year would be negative,' Mapa said. To illustrate the contraction in rice inflation seen last month, Mapa bared the year-on-year national average prices of regular, well-milled, and special rice varieties during the period. In particular, the following are the average prices of rice at the national level in May 2025: Regular milled: P43.19 per kilo from P51.11 per kilo in May 2024 Well-milled: P49.45 per kilo from P56.06 per kilo Special: P59.80 per kilo from P64.41 per kilo year-on-year The PSA chief also cited the government's ongoing P20 per kilo rice initiative aimed at easing the inflationary burden of those in the vulnerable sectors such as 4Ps beneficiaries, senior citizens, persons with disabilities, and single parents. 'The P20 rice is already coming in various outlets,' Mapa said. In a separate statement, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said it is 'expanding the reach of the P20 rice program and is studying a reduction in the suggested retail price (SRP) for imported rice—the national staple that dominates Filipino tables, especially among the poor.' The Department of Agriculture said that rice accounts for P9 of every P100 spent by the average Filipino. Among the bottom 30% of income households, the figure doubles. With the introduction of the P20 per kilo rice program in Bacolod City, the DA said the total number of outlets offering the subsidized grain grew to 87, exceeding the original target of 55 outlets by end-June. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has directed the DA to sustain the subsidized rice initiative through June 2028, to reach up to 60 million Filipinos. –NB, GMA Integrated News
