ILOILO CITY – The inflation rate in Western Visayas has eased for the second straight month.
RESIDENTS check fresh fish for sale at Central Market in Iloilo City. (Tara Yap)
The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA)-6 reported that the inflation rate in Region 6 dropped to 8.2 percent in April, 0.9 percent lower than March with 9.1 percent. “The deceleration of the overall inflation in Western Visayas in April 2023 was mainly due to the lower inflation in the index of food and non-alcoholic beverages at nine percent, from 10.3 percent in March 2023,” said Nelida Amolar, PSA-6 officer-in-charge and chief statistical specialist. However, last April’s inflation rate was more than double than April 2022 with 4.9 percent. The PSA-6 said that the inflation rate in Western Visayas remains higher than the national average of 6.6 percent. The regional capital of Iloilo City still has the highest inflation rate in the region last month at 11.3 percent but it is 0.3 percent lower than March with 11.6 percent. The island-province of Guimaras registered the region’s lowest inflation rate in April at 4.8 percent. Negros Occidental’s inflation rate last month was 8.8 percent, 8.7 percent in Bacolod City, eight percent in Iloilo, 6.8 percent in Aklan, 6.4 percent in Capiz, and 6.2 percent in Antique. Western Visayas recorded its highest inflation rate in 14 years in February at 10.8 percent but it went down 1.7 percent to 9.1 percent the next month.
RESIDENTS check fresh fish for sale at Central Market in Iloilo City. (Tara Yap)
The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA)-6 reported that the inflation rate in Region 6 dropped to 8.2 percent in April, 0.9 percent lower than March with 9.1 percent. “The deceleration of the overall inflation in Western Visayas in April 2023 was mainly due to the lower inflation in the index of food and non-alcoholic beverages at nine percent, from 10.3 percent in March 2023,” said Nelida Amolar, PSA-6 officer-in-charge and chief statistical specialist. However, last April’s inflation rate was more than double than April 2022 with 4.9 percent. The PSA-6 said that the inflation rate in Western Visayas remains higher than the national average of 6.6 percent. The regional capital of Iloilo City still has the highest inflation rate in the region last month at 11.3 percent but it is 0.3 percent lower than March with 11.6 percent. The island-province of Guimaras registered the region’s lowest inflation rate in April at 4.8 percent. Negros Occidental’s inflation rate last month was 8.8 percent, 8.7 percent in Bacolod City, eight percent in Iloilo, 6.8 percent in Aklan, 6.4 percent in Capiz, and 6.2 percent in Antique. Western Visayas recorded its highest inflation rate in 14 years in February at 10.8 percent but it went down 1.7 percent to 9.1 percent the next month.