ILOILO City – Inflation in Western Visayas surged to 9.7 percent in October, its highest level so far this year, as soaring fuel prices and transportation costs intensified the squeeze on consumers, with the region’s poorest households enduring an even heavier 11.6 percent inflation rate.
The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) Region 6 reported that regional October inflation accelerated from 9.2 percent in September, showing a sharp escalation in the cost of living.
PSA-6 regional director Nelida C. Amolar said transportation accounted for a 94 percent of the acceleration in October inflation, driven primarily by higher gasoline prices and passenger fares.
Transport inflation jumped to 26 percent from 16.9 percent in September, while gasoline inflation climbed to 52.7 percent from 40.9 percent.
Diesel inflation remained high at 64.4 percent, while inflation in other passenger transport services by road surged to 21 percent from 7.9 percent.
The increases placed additional pressure on motorists, commuters and businesses dependent on road transportation, potentially raising the cost of moving goods and providing services.
Western Visayas recorded an average inflation rate of 6.4 percent from January to October, with monthly inflation climbing from 2.3 percent in January to 9.7 percent in October.
Poor households hit hardest
Despite transportation driving the latest acceleration, lower-income households continued to bear the heaviest burden of rising prices.
The bottom 30 percent of income households registered 11.6 percent inflation in October, substantially above the regional average, although slightly lower than September’s 11.7 percent.
Rice remained their biggest inflation contributor, accounting for 38.7 percent of their overall inflation rate, equivalent to 4.5 percentage points.
Rice inflation among these households stood at 28 percent, followed by significant contributions from electricity and gasoline.
For all households, rice inflation reached 27.6 percent, easing from 30 percent in September but remaining the single biggest contributor to regional inflation at 25.1 percent.
Food and non-alcoholic beverages accounted for 35.6 percent of overall inflation despite their inflation rate slowing slightly to 8 percent from 8.2 percent.
Electricity inflation eased to 18.3 percent from 28.1 percent but continued to contribute significantly to household expenses.
Aklan posts highest inflation
Aklan recorded the region’s highest inflation rate at 11.8 percent, followed by Iloilo province at 10.8 percent and Antique at 10.1 percent.
Iloilo City registered 9.2 percent inflation, sharply higher than September’s 7.8 percent, while Guimaras climbed to 7.1 percent from 4.8 percent.
Capiz posted the lowest inflation rate at 6.5 percent, although this was higher than its September figure of 5.1 percent.
Antique was the only area among those covered to register a month-on-month slowdown, with inflation easing from 11.1 percent to 10.1 percent./PN
