Inflation in the province and city Iloilo quickened in August this year, driven largely by steeper costs in housing, utilities, transport, and select food items, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
The province recorded a 9.7-percent inflation last month, higher from 9.3 percent in July and 0.2 percent in the same month a year ago, PSA data showed.
PSA Chief Statistical Specialist Engr. Jerry Dolutan said the housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels category was the main contributor to the acceleration, with a 36.4 percent share.
Transport, which accounted for 26.6 percent to the uptrend, came in second, followed by health with a share of 25. 1 percent.
For Iloilo City, the faster inflation was mainly driven by higher prices of food and non-alcoholic beverages, contributing 77.6 percentage points.
Other top contributors were housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels with a 14.1-percent share, and health with a share of 4.9 percent.
Inflation is the rate of increase in the prices of goods and services. It is measured by the PSA using the Consumer Price Index (CPI).IMT
