GUIMARAS posted a 4.9 percent inflation rate in August 2026, remaining among the lowest in Western Visayas despite an acceleration from 4.6 percent in July.
Philippine Statistics Authority Guimaras Supervising Statistical Specialist Vicente Geonanga said Monday that the province’s August inflation rate was below the regional rate of 8.4 percent and the national rate of 6.1 percent.
Guimaras had the second-lowest inflation rate in Western Visayas, next to Capiz at 3.8 percent.
With the August rate, Guimaras’ average inflation for the first seven months of 2026 stood at 3.1 percent.
“Since January 2026, the Guimaras inflation rate remained at a negative level. It started accelerating since March, with 1.6 percent,” Geonanga said during his presentation Monday.
Inflation accelerated to 5.1 percent in June before easing to 4.6 percent in July.
The August increase was driven mainly by faster price growth in housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels, which rose to 2.9 percent from 1.0 percent in July; transport, to 24.2 percent from 11.0 percent; and furnishings, household equipment and routine household maintenance, to 5.6 percent from 1.5 percent.
Inflation also accelerated for alcoholic beverages and tobacco, to 7.7 percent from 7.0 percent; and clothing and footwear, to 4.0 percent from 3.8 percent.
Meanwhile, inflation slowed for food and nonalcoholic beverages, to 2.9 percent from 3.6 percent; health, to 3.5 percent from 5.4 percent; and information and communication, to 1.7 percent from 1.8 percent.
Inflation was unchanged for recreation, sport and culture at minus 1.1 percent; education services at 2.2 percent; restaurants and accommodation services at 2.6 percent; financial services at 0 percent; and personal care and miscellaneous goods and services at 5.2 percent.
Geonanga said the three commodity groups that contributed most to Guimaras’ August inflation were transport, with 1.79 percentage points; food and nonalcoholic beverages, 1.47 percentage points; and alcoholic beverages and tobacco, 0.40 percentage point. (PNA)
