Even before the war in Iran and its subsequent impacts on the prices of oil products, Eastern Visayas' residents were already feeling the pinch.
This, as the country's statisticians have reported a 3.4-percent inflation rate in the region last February, the highest in the past 18 months.
Last month's rate was up from 2.5 percent in January, according to the Philippine Statistics Region (PSA).
The uptrend was primarily influenced by the faster inflation rate (IR) in food and non-alcoholic beverages at 3.9 percent, from 2.7 percent in January, PSA Region 8 chief statistical specialist Mae Almonte said in a press briefing.
"The upward trend in the regional food IR in February 2026 was mainly driven by rice, which recorded a 0.1 percent IR from an annual price decrease of 5.5 percent in January 2026," Almonte said.
Faster inflation rates were also noted in fish and other seafood, fruits and nuts, vegetables, tubers, plantains, cooking bananas, and corn.
The PSA also reported faster inflation in housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels at 4 percent, from 3.2 percent in the previous month. Recreation, sports, and culture registered a higher inflation rate of 7.5 percent, up from 2.1 percent in January.
Among the region's six provinces, Samar recorded the highest rate at 6.6 percent, up from 5 percent in January.
Northern Samar's inflation rose to 3.4 percent from 0.6 percent, Biliran to 5.2 percent from 2.4 percent, Eastern Samar to 3.3 percent from 1.4 percent, and Leyte to 2.4 percent from 2.3 percent. Only Southern Leyte posted a lower rate, at 1.5 percent from 1.7 percent.
Tacloban City, the region's lone highly urbanized city, posted a 2.0 percent inflation rate, lower than January's 2.6 percent.
It still remains to be seen what effect will the Iran war and the "big-time" oil price hike have on prices of basic commodities in Eastern Visayas.
However, one thing is clear: Waraynons will have to tighten their belts further in the coming weeks as the full impacts of the high prices of oil products hit.
(With report from PNA)
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