ILOILO City – The inflation rate in Western Visayas increased to 3.6 percent in January 2025, up from 3.4 percent in December 2024, based on data from the Philippine Statistics Authority Region 6 (PSA-6).
This is the highest inflation rate recorded since October 2024, which saw 3.9 percent. In January 2024, inflation stood significantly lower at 2.0 percent.
The acceleration in the region’s inflation was primarily driven by food and non-alcoholic beverages, transportation, and restaurants and accommodation services.
The inflation rate for food and non-alcoholic beverages climbed to 3.4 percent in January 2025 from 2.8 percent in December 2024.
In the transportation category, inflation in this sector increased to 2.2 percent in January 2025 from 1.8 percent in December 2024.
On the other hand, inflation in the restaurants and accommodation rose to 6.0 percent in January 2025 from 5.6 percent in December 2024.
Additionally, higher inflation rates were observed in alcoholic beverages and tobacco at 4.1 percent from 3.7 percent; furnishings, household equipment, and routine household maintenance at 4.3 percent from 4.1 percent; recreation, sport, and culture at 3.1 percent from 2.7 percent; and personal care and miscellaneous goods and services at 2.9 percent from 2.8 percent.
In contrast, inflation decelerated in housing, water, electricity, gas, and other Fuels at 3.6 percent from 4.8 percent; and information and communication at 0.6 percent from 0.7 percent.
The top contributors to the headline inflation of 3.6% were food and non-alcoholic beverages at 41.1 percent share, or 1.48 percentage points; housing, water, electricity, gas, and other Fuels at 19.2 percent share at 0.69 percentage points; and restaurants and accommodation services at 10.5 percent share from 0.38 percentage points.
The drivers of food inflation were primarily due to fish and other seafood at 0.9 percent inflation in January 2025 from -2.9% in December 2024; vegetables, tubers, plantains, cooking bananas, and pulses at 6.7 percent from 0.8 percent.
Likewise, other food groups with higher inflation include sugar, confectionery, and desserts at -1.5% from -1.9 percent; milk, other dairy products, and eggs at 4.3 percent from 4.2 percent; ready-made food and other food products at 4.2 percent from 4.1 percent; and oils and fats with -1.1 percent from -1.3 percent.
Lower inflation rates were recorded in cereals and cereal products at 3.3 percent from 7.0 percent; and fruits and nuts at 3.3 percent from 3.5 percent.
The top contributors to food inflation were food accounted for 38.3 percent or 1.38 percentage points of the total headline inflation.
Meanwhile, for the bottom 30 percent income households, inflation decelerated to 3.4 percent in January 2025 from 3.7 percent in December 2024. This was higher than the 2.6 percent inflation recorded in January 2024./PN
