Central Visayas logs 0.2% inflation rate
Published Jul 9, 2025 09:34 pm
CEBU CITY – Inflation in Central Visayas dropped to its lowest so far this year, from 0.9 percent in May to 0.2 percent in June.
The Philippine Statistics Authority-Central Visayas (PSA-7) said the 0.2 percent decrease was a dramatic slowdown compared to 4.8 percent in June 2024.
The significant drop was attributed to declining prices in essential commodity groups such as housing, utilities, and food.
Director Wilma A. Perante, officer-in-charge of PSA-7, said Central Visayas recorded the third lowest inflation rate among the country’s 18 regions for the month.
Perante said the inflation decline was triggered by the downtrend in housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels to 1.9 percent in June from four percent in May.
Electricity rates contributed significantly to the decline, from 8.5 percent in May to 4.1 percent in June.
Rentals also dropped slightly from 4.1 to four percent while water supply stood at 9.4 percent.
Also playing a key role in the downward trend was the continued drop in food prices as food and non-alcoholic beverages registered a deeper deflation at -2 percent in June from -1.3 percent in May.
Prices of cereals and cereal products dropped by 13.8 percent, while vegetables and tubers declined by 16.5 percent.
Despite the overall easing, some groups posted either constant or higher inflation.
Alcoholic beverages and tobacco slightly increased to three percent, and personal care and miscellaneous goods and services rose to 2.1 percent.
Education services were still high at 5.3 percent, driven by a 5.6 percent inflation in tertiary education. Household furnishings and domestic services also stayed at elevated rates at 5.2 percent and 13 percent, respectively.