President-elect Marcos of the Philippines announced at a press conference before taking office on the 20th that the situation in Ukraine could lead to a rise in food prices, and that he will also serve as the Minister of Agriculture in the next administration.
In the Philippines, the price of fuel and fertilizer is soaring due to the situation in Ukraine, and the Ministry of Agriculture has announced that the price of rice, the staple food, may rise by about 20% in the future.
Under these circumstances, Mr. Marcos, who will become president on the 30th of this month, held a press conference, "We predict that food prices will rise in the next quarter. The events in Ukraine are very serious for agriculture and food supply in the Philippines. In the next administration, he will also serve as the Minister of Agriculture and will take measures such as increasing food production.
It is unusual for the president to double as agriculture minister in the Philippines, but Marcos has claimed to cut rice prices to about half of the current market price during the elections, taking the lead in food issues that are directly linked to people's lives. It seems that there is an aim to impress the efforts.