President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. Tuesday said that he “disagrees” with the 6.1 percent inflation rate that the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported, but did not elaborate on its reasons.
In his first public briefing as president, Marcos Jr. was asked about the country’s inflation rate soaring to 6.1 percent, the highest since October 2018, and he said, “ 6.1? I think I will have to disagree with that number. We are not that high.”
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The PSA earlier reported that inflation quickened to 6.1 percent in June from 5.4 percent in May and revised it to 3.7 percent in June 2021, but Marcos said the inflation rate is a problem not only in the Philippines but “everywhere.”
“We have crossed the—our targets were less four percent or less. Unfortunately, it looks like we may cross that threshold. Tatawid tayo sa four percent,” he added.
In his comment on the President’s remark, National Statistician and PSA chief Claire Dennis Mapa said, “The Philippine Statistics Authority stands by its report.”
