THE PHILIPPINES’ inflation rate accelerated in September this year, cutting short a four-month deceleration streak, due to faster increases in food and utilities costs during the period, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported on Tuesday, Oct. 6.
National Statistician and PSA chief Claire Dennis Mapa reported that the inflation rate rose to 7.2% last month, from 6.1% in August 2026.
September’s inflation print was at the same level as last seen in April 2026 and also the fastest since March 2023, when it clocked in at 7.6%.
This brought the year-to-date average inflation rate to 5.4%, still above the government’s comfortable ceiling of 2% to 4%.
“Ang pangunahing dahilan ng mas mataas na antas ng inflation para sa buwan ng Setyembre 2026 kumpara noong buwan ng Agosto 2026 ay ang mas mabilis na pagtaas ng presyo ng Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages na may 6.7% inflation rate,” Mapa said at a press briefing,.
In August 2026, the Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages index had an inflation rate of 4.6%.
The heavily weighted index also contributed a 73.4% share in September’s overall inflation rate increase.
The Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and other Fuels index was the second contributor to the inflation rate acceleration during the month, with a rate of 8.4% from 7.9% and a 9.9% contribution to the overall increase.
Transport also increased to 14.6% from 13.5% month-on-month.
Food inflation, which tracks the price movements of food items in a “basket” commonly purchased by households, rose to 6.8% last month from 4.6% in the prior month.
The uptrend in food inflation in September 2026 was due to the 10.7% annual growth rate in the index of vegetables, tubers, plantains, cooking bananas and pulses during the month from an annual decrease of 3.4% in August 2026.
Faster year-on-year increments were also seen in the indices of the following food items of rice (20.3% from 19.4%) and fish and other seafood (7.4% from 6.6%), among others.
“September’s inflation rise was driven mainly by disruptions in food supply caused by adverse weather and higher global oil prices,” said Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev) Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said,
The country’s chief economist said the government is ramping up efforts to strengthen food supply, temper energy costs, and protect households from rising prices.
In preparation for a possible intensification of El Niño, Balisacan said the government is advancing the procurement of key agricultural inputs, expanding food and cold storage facilities, conducting cloud-seeding operations in drought-affected areas, and providing targeted interventions to vulnerable communities. (GMA News)
