The headline inflation in Western Visayas slowed down to 3.2 percent in November from 3.9 percent in October, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA-6).
In a press conference, PSA-6 Officer-in-Charge Nelida Amolar said the deceleration was mainly due to the slower annual growth in the index of housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels at 3.3 percent from the 5.8 percent of the preceding month.
The downtrend in the inflation rate of food and non-alcoholic beverages, which was 3.3 percent from 4.3 percent in October, also contributed to the lower inflation.
Notably, all provinces and highly urbanized cities registered lower inflation rates, with Aklan posting the lowest among the provinces at 1.3 percent from 3.1 percent in October and Bacolod City at 2.7 percent from 3.2 percent for urbanized cities.
Amolar, however, urged consumers to avoid “revenge spending” since the data showed increased inflation for commodities, including furnishing, household equipment, and routine household maintenance (3.4 percent); alcoholic beverages and tobacco (3.1 percent); clothing and footwear (4.4 percent); transport (-0.1 percent); and restaurants and accommodation services (6 percent).
She said that it is expected that prices of food, especially ham, pasta and fruits, will increase in December because they are symbolic of Christmas.
“The issue is more of a demand. So, the balancing of the supply and demand dictates the prices, the inflation. When it comes to spending habits, let us not go on revenge spending,” she said. Perla Lena/PNA
