Slower jumps of food prices in Eastern Visayas resulted in further slowdown of the inflation rate (IR) from 1.0 percent in March to 0.6 percent in April, the lowest since 2019.
Data released by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) on Friday, May 16, showed that food index further registered a decrease to 0.6 percent from 0.4 percent in March 2025, primarily influenced by the faster annual price decrease of rice to 11.9 percent, from 8.9 percent annual decline in April.
“The slower IR for ready-made food and other food products not elsewhere classified at 4.2 percent during the month, from 4.6 percent in March, also contributed to the downtrend,” PSA Eastern Visayas Director Wilma Perante said in a press briefing here.
Five of the region’s six provinces recorded lower inflation rates and even deflation, or negative inflation, last April -- Biliran, 1.1 percent from the previous month's 2.3 percent; Eastern Samar, 0.5 percent from 3.2 percent; Northern Samar, 0.1 percent from 0.8 percent; Samar, -0.9 percent from -0.2 percent; and Southern Leyte, zero percent from the previous month’s 1.1 percent.
Meanwhile, the province of Leyte and Tacloban City registered higher levels for April. Leyte recorded the highest level in the region at 1.5 percent from 0.8 percent, followed by Tacloban City at 0.9 percent from 0.2 percent.
The inflation rate is the annual rate of change or the year-on-year changes in the consumer price index. It indicates how fast or slow the price changes over two time periods.
Contrary to common knowledge, Perante said low inflation does not necessarily mean a decrease in the prices of commodities.
Instead, it means that prices continue to increase but at a slower rate, she said.
It remains unclear, however, whether the recent closure of the San Juanico Bridge to large trucks and buses will have a major impact on the region's inflation rate.
The decision of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to curtail passage of trucks and buses at the bridge meant that they have to take ferries between the islands of Samar and Leyte, resulting in added transportation costs.
(With report from PNA)
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