Central Visayas' headline inflation rate dropped to 8.1 percent in August from 8.7 percent in July, driven primarily by slower food and non-alcoholic beverage inflation falling to 8.5 percent.
Nationally, headline inflation eased to 6.1 percent in August from 6.2 percent in July, with core inflation slowing to 4.1 percent from 4.2 percent, according to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.
Average headline inflation for the first eight months of 2026 stood at 5.2 percent, remaining above the government's full-year target of 3 percent and its tolerance range.
CENTRAL VISAYAS saw price pressures ease in August as slower food inflation pulled the region’s headline inflation rate down to 8.1 percent from 8.7 percent in July, Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) data showed Friday, Sept. 4, 2026.
The easing marked a moderation in one of the country’s highest regional inflation rates, although Central Visayas remained well above the national inflation rate of 6.1 percent in August.
Food and non-alcoholic beverages, a major driver of household spending, led the slowdown as inflation in the category fell to 8.5 percent from 10.7 percent in July.
Regional slowdown
The region also no longer posted the highest inflation nationwide, with Davao Region and Caraga recording the fastest price increases at 8.9 percent each, followed by Western Visayas and Eastern Visayas at 8.4 percent. Central Visayas ranked next at 8.1 percent.
Price increases moderated across several other consumer categories in the region. Inflation for alcoholic beverages and tobacco eased to 5 percent from 5.2 percent, while clothing and footwear slowed to 3.5 percent from 3.6 percent.
Inflation for furnishings, household equipment and routine household maintenance declined to 6.6 percent from 7 percent, while information and communication eased to 0.3 percent from 0.7 percent.
Education services recorded one of the sharpest slowdowns, with inflation falling to 0.6 percent from 2.4 percent in July.
Offsetting increases
Restaurants and accommodation services also registered slower price increases at 10.3 percent from 11.1 percent, while personal care and miscellaneous goods and services eased to 3.2 percent from 3.4 percent.
The moderation in overall inflation was partly offset by rising costs in transport, housing and health.
Transport inflation accelerated to 16.2 percent from 14.7 percent, remaining among the fastest-rising expenditure groups in Central Visayas. Inflation for housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels increased to 7.2 percent from 6.6 percent, while health inflation rose to 4.3 percent from 3.7 percent. Recreation, sports and culture was unchanged at 3.8 percent.
National inflation eased
Nationally, headline inflation eased to 6.1 percent in August from 6.2 percent in July, driven mainly by lower food inflation, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said.
Core inflation, which excludes volatile food and energy items, likewise slowed to 4.1 percent from 4.2 percent.
The BSP said food inflation declined as domestic supply became more stable, helped by lower vegetable prices and slower inflation for fish. Rice inflation, however, accelerated partly because of higher logistics costs.
Lower electricity and water rates helped moderate inflation for housing and utilities nationwide, while higher global crude oil prices pushed up domestic pump prices and contributed to faster transport inflation in August, the central bank said.
Evolving outlook
Despite the year-on-year easing, seasonally adjusted headline inflation rose 0.5 percent month-on-month in August after registering zero growth in July.
Inflation for households belonging to the lowest 30 percent income distribution held steady at 8.2 percent in August, highlighting the continued impact of elevated prices on lower-income consumers.
Average headline inflation for the first eight months of 2026 stood at 5.2 percent, above the government’s full-year target of 3 percent and its tolerance range of plus or minus one percentage point.
Well within forecast
The BSP said August inflation fell within its forecast range of 5.5 percent to 6.5 percent and added that it would continue to monitor risks arising from developments in the Middle East and weather-related disturbances as it assesses the inflation outlook.
While August brought some relief from the elevated price pressures seen in recent months, Central Visayas’ inflation remained two percentage points higher than the national average, indicating that households and businesses in the region continue to face relatively steeper increases in the cost of living. / KOC