Gov’t urged to refocus on pre-pandemic...

softening inflation and lowering global oil prices.”

Meanwhile, market analyst Astro Del Castillo, president and managing director of First Grade Holdings, said he is more optimistic about the second semester of the year because “the worst of the inflation surge is now behind us.”

With all the pandemic restrictions gone, he said, the economy is once again poised to resume its forward momentum.

However, Del Castillo warned that food security and the energy situation in portions of the country must be addressed sooner rather than later.

It was noted that provinces like Occidental Mindoro, and to a lesser extent, Oriental Mindoro, have been suffering from rotating brownouts since the onset of the dry season. Del Castillo said the government should lay the groundwork to enhance domestic food production to avoid situations like the recent onion supply crisis, which began late last year and extended to the opening weeks of 2023. (PNA) n