ILOILO CITY – After recording its highest inflation rate in 14 years at 10.8 percent in February, inflation or the rate of increase in prices over a given period of time decelerated by 1.7 percent in Western Visayas to 9.1 percent in March, the Philippine Statistics Authority said.
A MAN looks at produce for sale in a stall in an outdoor market in Iloilo City. The inflation rate in Western Visayas slowed down to 9.1 percent in March from 10.8 percent in February. (Tara Yap) “Overall inflation in Western Visayas slowed down to 9.1 percent in March 2023, from 10.8 percent in February 2023,” said Nelida Amolar, chief statistical specialist and officer-in-charge of the PSA-6. However, the region’s inflation rate for March was still higher than the national average of 7.6 percent and that of the same month last year at 4.6 percent. “The deceleration of the overall inflation in Western Visayas in March 2023 was mainly due to the lower inflation in the index of housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels at 9.5 percent from 14.2 percent in February 2023,” Amolar added. The regional capital of Iloilo City still has the highest inflation rate in the region last month at 11.6 percent but it was down 1.6 percent from 13.2 percent in February. The island-province of Guimaras had the lowest inflation rate in Western Visayas at 6.4 percent. Negros Occidental had an inflation rate of 10.8 percent; 8.7 percent in Bacolod City; 8.2 percent in Iloilo; 7.8 percent in Antique; 7.4 percent in Capiz; and 6.9 percent in Guimaras.
A MAN looks at produce for sale in a stall in an outdoor market in Iloilo City. The inflation rate in Western Visayas slowed down to 9.1 percent in March from 10.8 percent in February. (Tara Yap) “Overall inflation in Western Visayas slowed down to 9.1 percent in March 2023, from 10.8 percent in February 2023,” said Nelida Amolar, chief statistical specialist and officer-in-charge of the PSA-6. However, the region’s inflation rate for March was still higher than the national average of 7.6 percent and that of the same month last year at 4.6 percent. “The deceleration of the overall inflation in Western Visayas in March 2023 was mainly due to the lower inflation in the index of housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels at 9.5 percent from 14.2 percent in February 2023,” Amolar added. The regional capital of Iloilo City still has the highest inflation rate in the region last month at 11.6 percent but it was down 1.6 percent from 13.2 percent in February. The island-province of Guimaras had the lowest inflation rate in Western Visayas at 6.4 percent. Negros Occidental had an inflation rate of 10.8 percent; 8.7 percent in Bacolod City; 8.2 percent in Iloilo; 7.8 percent in Antique; 7.4 percent in Capiz; and 6.9 percent in Guimaras.