4.6 pct inflation in WV in March 2022

Inflation in Western Visayas accelerated to 4.6 percent in March 2022, from
3.3 percent in February.

In March 2021, inflation in Western Visayas stood at 4.4 percent. (Table_1)

Table 1.  Inflation Rates for the CPI: Western Visayas (2018 = 100)

Region	March 2021	February 2022	March 2022
Western Visayas	4.4	3.3	4.6

     Source: Retail Price Survey of Commodities for the Generation of Consumer Price Index       

All provinces and cities in Western Visayas registered higher inflation rates in March 2022 compared to February.

Negros Occidental posted the highest inflation rate of 7.3 percent in March 2022, while Iloilo had the lowest inflation rate of 1.9 percent.

The highly urbanized cities of Bacolod and Iloilo posted the same inflation rate of 4.3 percent. (Table 2)

Table 2.  Inflation Rates for the CPI by Province

and City: Western Visayas (2018 = 100)

Province/City	March 2021	February 2022	March 2022
Aklan	3.2	1.3	2.8
Antique	4.3	4.0	5.9
Capiz	5.4	3.1	4.5
Guimaras	3.7	3.1	4.9
Iloilo	2.4	0.3	1.9
Iloilo City	2.8	3.0	4.3
Negros Occidental	6.4	6.3	7.3
Bacolod City	5.5	3.5	4.3

Source: Retail Price Survey of Commodities for the Generation of CPI

Commodity groups with higher inflation rates in March 2022 compared to
February 2022 are:

• Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages, 5.4 percent;
• Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco, 6.1 percent;
• Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas, and Other Fuels, 3.2 percent;
• Furnishing, Household Equipment and Routine Household Maintenance, 2.3 percent;
• Transport, 7.9 percent and;
• Restaurants and Accommodation Services, 4.4 percent.

Conversely, inflation rates were lower in March 2022 compared to the previous month in the indices of the following commodity groups:

• Clothing and Footwear, 1.8 percent;
• Health, 1.7 percent;
• Information and Communication, 0.9 percent and;
• Recreation, Sport and Culture, 3.3 percent.

Meanwhile, the commodity groups Education Services, Financial Services, and Personal Care, and Miscellaneous Goods and Services retained their previous month’s inflation rates. (Table 3)

Table 3. Year-on-Year Inflation Rates by Commodity Group,

February and March 2022: Western Visayas (2018 = 100)

Item	February	March
All Items	3.3	4.6
Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages	3.9	5.4
Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco	5.3	6.1
Clothing and Footwear	2.0	1.8
Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas, and Other Fuels	1.1	3.2
Furnishing, Household Equipment and Routine Household Maintenance	2.1	2.3
Health	2.0	1.7
Transport	6.2	7.9
Information and Communication	1.0	0.9
Recreation, Sport and Culture	3.4	3.3
Education Services	4.3	4.3
Restaurants and Accommodation Services	4.0	4.4
Financial Services	40.8	40.8
Personal Care, and Miscellaneous Goods and Services	2.8	2.8

                  Source: Retail Price Survey of Commodities for the Generation of CPI