High food, transport costs drive WV inflation to 9.7% in October

Inflation in Western Visayas (WV) accelerated to 9.7 percent in October, driven primarily by rising costs in food items and transport, according to the latest figures from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA-6).

The October headline rate reflects a slight uptick from the 9.2 percent recorded in September and a sharp jump compared to the 0.7 percent registered in the same month last year.

PSA-6 Regional Director Nelida Amolar identified Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages as the main driver of inflation, contributing a 35.6 percent share to the overall rate, or 3.45 percentage points.

Transport ranked second, accounting for a 24.6 percent share, equivalent to 2.39 percentage points, followed by Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas, and Other Fuels, which contributed 14.7 percent, or 1.43 percentage points.

WV tied with Region XI (Davao Region) for the second-highest inflation rate nationwide at 9.7 percent, trailing only the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), which recorded 9.9 percent.IMT