Food prices push Bacolod City, Negros Occ. inflation higher in May

BACOLOD CITY – Inflation in Bacolod City accelerated to 7.0 percent in May 2026 from a revised 6.6 percent in April, while Negros Occidental’s headline inflation climbed to 4.2 percent from 3.2 percent, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) Negros Occidental Provincial Statistical Office reported.

Both rates were sharply higher than the 2.4 percent recorded in the city and the province in May 2025, according to the PSA’s Summary Inflation Report released June 11, 2026, and presented by Supervising Statistical Specialist Diesah S. Biaoco on June 10.

Bacolod City’s inflation outpaced the national rate of 6.8 percent and the Negros Island Region’s 5.4 percent in May, while Negros Occidental stayed below both. Year-to-date inflation averaged 3.7 percent in Bacolod City, 1.7 percent in Negros Occidental, 2.6 percent in the region, and 4.5 percent nationwide.

The May uptick extended a steep climb for both areas. Negros Occidental’s inflation stood at 0.0 percent as recently as March 2026 before jumping to 3.2 percent in April, while Bacolod City’s surged from 0.1 percent in February to 3.4 percent in March and 6.6 percent in April.

Negros Occidental

The province’s faster inflation was primarily driven by food and non-alcoholic beverages, which rose 1.8 percent in May from 0.4 percent in April, and restaurants and accommodation services, which quickened to 8.4 percent from 5.7 percent.

The food index alone rose 1.5 percent in May after posting 0.0 percent in April, while food and beverage serving services accelerated to 8.3 percent from 5.7 percent.

Food and non-alcoholic beverages contributed 19.2 percent to the province’s overall inflation and accounted for 53.5 percent of its uptrend. Restaurants and accommodation services had a 16.3 percent share of inflation and 17.1 percent of the uptrend, followed by furnishings, household equipment, and routine household maintenance, which rose 11.5 percent from 8.7 percent and contributed 7.9 percent to the uptrend.

Higher inflation was also recorded in alcoholic beverages and tobacco (6.3 percent from 4.4 percent), clothing and footwear (7.3 percent from 5.0 percent), health (8.6 percent from 6.1 percent), recreation, sport and culture (13.3 percent from 11.9 percent), and personal care, and miscellaneous goods and services (4.6 percent from 4.0 percent).

In contrast, slower annual increases were noted in housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels (2.0 percent from 2.1 percent) and transport (10.9 percent from 13.9 percent).

The rest of the commodity groups retained their previous month’s rates: information and communication at 2.1 percent, education services at -2.5 percent, and financial services at 0.0 percent.

Bacolod City

The city’s faster inflation was mainly influenced by food and non-alcoholic beverages, which rose 5.9 percent in May from 3.8 percent in April, with the food index alone climbing to 5.7 percent from 3.3 percent.

Food and non-alcoholic beverages had a 28.6 percent share of the city’s overall inflation and accounted for 46.9 percent of its uptrend. Restaurants and accommodation services, which surged to 8.5 percent from 2.2 percent, contributed 35.3 percent, while clothing and footwear, up 9.9 percent from 5.4 percent, accounted for 12.1 percent.

Faster annual increases were also observed in alcoholic beverages and tobacco (6.4 percent from 6.0 percent), furnishings, household equipment and routine household maintenance (9.3 percent from 9.0 percent), information and communication (1.3 percent from 1.1 percent), recreation, sport and culture (5.4 percent from 3.2 percent), and personal care, and miscellaneous goods and services (4.9 percent from 3.9 percent).

Lower inflation was recorded in housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels (4.5 percent from 6.9 percent), health (2.4 percent from 3.1 percent), and transport (18.5 percent from 24.2 percent).

Education services held steady at 3.7 percent and financial services at 0.0 percent.