ILOILO City — Western Visayans are feeling an increasingly painful squeeze on their household budgets as the region’s inflation rate soared to 8.4 percent in August, the fourth-highest in the country, driven by sharply rising transport, utility and healthcare costs.
The August inflation rate accelerated from 7.8 percent in July, marking a significant deterioration for Western Visayas, which previously ranked only between eighth and 11th nationwide in terms of inflation.
Inflation refers to the general increase in the prices of goods and services over time, reducing the purchasing power of money. Simply put, higher inflation means consumers generally have to spend more to buy the same amount of goods and services.
The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said the latest increase pushed Western Visayas’ average inflation for the first eight months of 2026 to 5.6 percent, indicating sustained price pressures on consumers.
The biggest increases were recorded in transport, housing and utilities, and health — expenses that directly affect the everyday budgets of households.
Transport inflation surged to 16.8 percent in August from 15.1 percent in July, while inflation for housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels accelerated to 8.9 percent from 7.3 percent.
Health inflation registered an even sharper increase, jumping to 7.6 percent from 5.1 percent.
Other commodity groups that posted higher inflation included furnishings, household equipment and routine household maintenance at 8.6 percent; recreation, sport and culture at 7.5 percent; clothing and footwear at 3.8 percent; and information and communication at 2.2 percent.
Food and non-alcoholic beverages remained unchanged at 6.8 percent, while education services stayed at a relatively high 11.1 percent. Financial services recorded zero inflation.
Some sectors provided modest relief. Inflation for restaurants and accommodation services eased to 14.4 percent, personal care and miscellaneous goods and services to 3.7 percent, and alcoholic beverages and tobacco to 8.6 percent.
AKLAN BREACHES 10%
The price surge was felt across most of Western Visayas, with inflation accelerating in every province and the region’s lone highly urbanized city except Capiz.
Aklan suffered the highest inflation rate in the region at 10.7 percent, pushing the province into double-digit territory.
Transport inflation in Aklan soared to 20.3 percent, while food and non-alcoholic beverages rose 10.3 percent and housing and utility costs climbed 7.7 percent.
Capiz bucked the regional trend, recording Western Visayas’ lowest inflation rate at 3.8 percent.
Iloilo City posted an inflation rate of 7.6 percent.
PSA Western Visayas director Nelida Amolar noted that consumer price index figures reflect shifting market conditions and cost pressures directly affecting the everyday expenditures of households across the region./PN
