By Antonio Colina IV
DAVAO CITY – The four-province and four-city Soccksargen region posted an inflation rate of 3.6 percent in April 2020, the highest among 17 regions in the country, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) released on May 5.
Soccsksargen’s inflation rate last month was higher compared to the 3.2 percent reported in March 2020. The region is composed of the provinces of Cotabato, Sarangani, South Cotabato, and Sultan Kudarat, and cities of General Santos, Kidapawan, Koronadal, and Tacurong.
Inflation in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), comprised of the provinces of Basilan, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi, and cities of Cotabato, Lamitan, and Tawi-Tawi, slightly increased to 2.7 percent last month from 2.3 percent in March.
The other regions of the island reported stable inflation rates for April 2020. Northern Mindanao remained the lowest among Mindanao’s six regions at 1.4 percent in April, lower compared to 2 percent in March. The National Capital Region reported the lowest inflation rate in the country at 1.2 percent.
According to PSA, inflation in the Zamboanga Peninsula went down to 2.5 percent in April from 2.6 percent in March; Davao Region sustained at 2.2 percent, and Caraga at 2.8 percent from 2.9 percent.
The agency said the headline inflation rate settled at 2.2 percent in April, which was lower than 2.5 percent in March.
It said contributing to the downtrend in the headline inflation in April was the further decrease in the annual rate of transport index at 6.1 percent. This was the lowest inflation recorded in this group’s index since October 2015.
In addition, it said slower annual mark-ups were seen in the indices of the alcoholic beverages and tobacco, 17.9 percent; clothing and footwear, 2.6 percent; housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels, 0.3 percent; health, 2.8 percent; communication, 0.3 percent; and restaurant and miscellaneous goods and services, 2.4 percent.