Western Visayas recorded a 5.8 percent inflation rate in July, the highest among all regions in the country, the Philippine Statistics Authority reported on its website on Friday, August 4.
The average national rate slowed down at 4.7 percent in July, 0.7 percent lower than the June record at 5.4 percent.
Western Visayas’ current inflation decreased by 1 percent compared to June at 6.8 percent but is still 1.1 percent higher than the national average.
Records showed that the region’s inflation rate for food and non-alcoholic beverages is at 7.5 percent, alcoholic beverages and tobacco at 11.3 percent, clothing and footwear 4.1, utilities, gas, and other fuels at 5.3 percent, household equipment and maintenance at 8.6 percent;
Health inflation at 2.8 percent, transport at -3.8 percent, information and communication at 2.5 percent, recreation, sport, and culture at 5.4 percent, education at 0.4 percent, restaurants and accommodation services at 11.8 percent, and miscellaneous goods and services at 6.8 percent.
Meanwhile, the neighboring Eastern Visayas region posted the lowest inflation rate in the country at 2.4 percent, while Central Visayas is at 4 percent.
Overall, areas outside the National Capital Region posted an average of 4.4 percent inflation while NCR remained at 5.6 percent compared to June.*