ILOILO City – A combination of rice subsidies, falling fuel prices, and harvest season gains helped Western Visayas post one of its lowest inflation rates in recent months, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
Inflation in the region cooled to 1.9 percent in April, down from 2.7 percent in March, driven largely by reduced prices in essential goods like food, fuel, and housing utilities.
“This is reflective of ongoing government efforts to cushion the cost of living,” said Statistical Specialist I Miguel Gallego.
Food and non-alcoholic beverages led the downtrend, with inflation in this category dropping to 0.9 percent from 2.5 percent. Gallego said cereals, especially rice, played a major role in easing price pressures. Rice inflation dipped to -5.3 percent, which he attributed to recent harvests and sustained interventions to make rice more affordable.
“Rice has the biggest weight in our commodities,” Gallego emphasized.
Among these interventions are the Department of Agriculture’s “Kadiwa ng Pangulo” programs, such as the “P29” and “Rice for All” initiatives launched in mid-2024.
These were followed by the rollout of the “Benteng Bigas Mayroon (BBM) Na” program in Cebu this May, which offers rice at just ₱20 per kilo.
Gallego also credited the reduction of rice import tariffs under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s administration, which helped further lower prices.
Housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels — comprising 33.4 percent of the inflation basket — also saw slower price increases at 3.7 percent, down from 4.1 percent in March.
Meanwhile, the transport sector experienced deflation at -2.1 percent, attributed in part to cheaper gasoline.
Compared to April 2024’s 4.1 percent inflation, the current rate marks a significant year-on-year improvement. Still, Western Visayas had the third-highest inflation rate among all regions, though this was a notch lower than its national ranking in March.
Across the region, all provinces and highly urbanized cities recorded lower inflation — except Guimaras, which saw a slight uptick.
Iloilo province posted the highest inflation rate in the region at 3.2 percent, while Antique recorded the lowest at -1.6 percent. (With a report from the Philippine News Agency/PN)
