• CHERYL G. CRUZ
The rate of inflation in the highly-urbanized Bacolod City was logged at 6.4 percent in September, from 5.7 percent in August; but slightly dipped to 7.6 percent, from 7.9 percent, in Negros Occidental, the Philippine Statistics Authority-Negros Occidental said Oct. 7.
PSA Negros Occidental OIC chief statistical specialist, John Campomanes, said in a summary inflation report, that Bacolod’s increased inflation rate was brought about by a slight hike in the prices of commodity items, like food and non-alcoholic beverages, alcoholic beverages and tobacco, and health and transport.
“In Negros Occidental, the decrease in the prices of food and nonalcoholic beverages, alcoholic beverages and tobacco, clothing and footwear, and personal care/miscellaneous goods and services contributed to a slight decline of inflation rate for the month of September,” Campomanes said.
Food inflation in Bacolod stood at 9.3 percent, from 8.0 percent in August; while there was a monthly decrease in the seasonally adjusted consumer price index (CPI) in the province at 9.7 percent from 10 percent the month prior, the PSA added.
The CPI is gauged by changes in the average retail prices of commodities, the PSA said, adding that in Negros Occidental, decreases were noted in food commodities like flour/bread and other bakery product, fish and other seafoods, oils and fats, vegetables and tubers, sugar/confectionery and desserts, and ready-made food and other food products.
In Bacolod, increases were logged in rice, corn, flour/bread and other bakery products, meat and other parts of slaughtered animals, milk/other dairy products and eggs, oils and fats, fruits and nuts, vegetables and pulses, ready-made foods, and in nonalcoholic beverages.
The province’s nonfood inflation for September was at 5.6 percent, from 6 percent in August, due to slight reduction in the prices of clothing and footwear, housing/water/electricity/gas and other fuels, furnishing/household equipment, and personal care and miscellaneous goods and services.
In Bacolod, nonfood inflation increased to 4.5 percent from 4.2 percent in August, mostly due to hikes in the cost for furnishing/household equipment and maintenance, transport, education services, and personal care and miscellaneous goods and services.
The PSA also said that the country’s inflation was at 6.1 percent in September, also higher than the 5.3 percent recorded in August, primarily brought about by price hikes in the heavily-weighted food and non-alcoholic beverages. | CGC
