Guimaras inflation rises to 5.1% in June

Guimaras’ headline inflation accelerated to 5.1 percent in June 2026, marking a faster pace than the 4.7 percent recorded in May 2026 and the 0.5 percent posted in June 2025, according to the latest price statistics released by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).

The province’s year-to-date average inflation for January–June 2026 reached 2.6 percent, reflecting sustained increases in consumer prices during the first half of the year.

The faster inflation signals continued pressure on household budgets as food, transportation, and essential services become more expensive, affecting consumers’ purchasing power even as Guimaras continued to post a lower inflation rate than both the national and Western Visayas averages.

“Guimnaras’ June 2026 inflation rate of Guimaras province remained lower than the inflation rates recorded at the national and Western Visayas levels during the same period,” Provincial Statistics Officer Nelida B. Losare said.

Losare identified food and non-alcoholic beverages, restaurants and accommodation services, and education services as the primary drivers of the province’s higher inflation in June.

Food and non-alcoholic beverages posted a 4.2 percent inflation rate and accounted for 77.3 percent of the increase in headline inflation.

Restaurants and accommodation services registered 2.6 percent inflation and contributed 7.0 percent, while education services posted 2.0 percent inflation and accounted for 5.0 percent of the overall increase.

Within the food and non-alcoholic beverages category, cereals and cereal products recorded the largest contribution at 47.6 percent after posting a 7.7 percent inflation rate, higher than the 5.2 percent recorded in May 2026.

“Fish and other seafood followed with an 8.3 percent inflation rate and a 22.1 percent contribution, while vegetables, tubers, plantains, cooking bananas and pulses, particularly fresh or chilled fruit-bearing vegetables, recorded 20.1 percent inflation and contributed 7.2 percent,” Losare said.

The higher inflation in restaurants and accommodation services was mainly driven by restaurants, cafés and similar establishments, which recorded 2.5 percent inflation in June.

The commodity group’s overall inflation accelerated to 2.6 percent from 1.5 percent in May 2026, making it the second-largest contributor to the province’s June inflation with a 7.0 percent share.

Education services also recorded faster price growth after secondary education posted 5.4 percent inflation in June.

The education services index rose to 2.0 percent from negative 0.8 percent in May 2026, making it the third-largest contributor to June inflation with a 5.0 percent share.

Food and non-alcoholic beverages remained the largest contributor to overall inflation, accounting for 40.9 percent, or 2.09 percentage points, of the province’s 5.1 percent headline inflation.

“The commodity group’s contribution was mainly driven by cereals and cereal products, particularly rice, except NFA rice, regular milled, which recorded a 7.7 percent inflation rate and contributed 21.3 percent, or 1.09 percentage points, to the overall inflation. This was followed by vegetables, tubers, plantains, cooking bananas and pulses, particularly fruit-bearing vegetables, fresh or chilled, which posted a 20.1 percent inflation rate and contributed 17.4 percent, or 0.89 percentage point, to the overall inflation,” Losare said.

Transport ranked second among the major contributors, accounting for 35.4 percent, or 1.81 percentage points, of overall inflation.

“This was primarily driven by passenger transport services, particularly passenger transport by sea and inland waterway, which recorded a 27.7 percent inflation rate and contributed 22.0 percent, or 1.12 percentage points, to the overall inflation,” Losare said.

“Operation of personal transport equipment, particularly fuels and lubricants for personal transport equipment, especially gasoline, followed with a 28.2 percent inflation rate and contributed 12.9 percent, or 0.66 percentage point, to the overall inflation,” Losare added.

Alcoholic beverages and tobacco ranked third among the major contributors, accounting for 6.6 percent, or 0.33 percentage point, of the overall inflation.

“The commodity group’s contribution was mainly driven by tobacco, particularly cigarettes, which posted an 8.5 percent inflation rate and contributed 4.3 percent to the overall inflation. This was followed by spirits and liquors, which recorded a 5.6 percent inflation rate and contributed 2.5 percent,” Losare said.

Among the province’s 13 major commodity groups, seven recorded faster inflation in June.

Food and non-alcoholic beverages accelerated to 4.2 percent from 3.0 percent in May, while alcoholic beverages and tobacco increased to 6.5 percent from 5.5 percent.

Inflation also rose in clothing and footwear to 3.7 percent from 3.2 percent; furnishings, household equipment and routine household maintenance to 1.4 percent from 1.2 percent; education services to 2.0 percent from negative 0.8 percent; restaurants and accommodation services to 2.6 percent from 1.5 percent; and personal care and miscellaneous goods and services to 5.4 percent from 4.9 percent.

“Meanwhile, lower inflation was recorded in housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels at 0.9 percent from 1.3 percent, health at 5.4 percent from 6.3 percent, transport at 24.9 percent from 27.5 percent, and recreation, sport and culture at -1.1 percent from -0.7 percent,” Losare said.

“Information and communication maintained its 1.8 percent inflation rate, while financial services remained unchanged at 0.0 percent,” Losare added.

Losare said inflation is derived from the Consumer Price Index (CPI), which measures changes in the average prices of goods and services commonly purchased by households over time.

Guimaras’ CPI reached 139.4 in June 2026.

“The CPI serves as the primary indicator for measuring inflation, as it tracks changes in the prices of a fixed basket of goods and services typically purchased by households,” Losare explained.

She said a basket of goods and services worth PHP 1,000 in 2018, the CPI base year, would cost about PHP 1,394 in June 2026.

The province’s purchasing power of the peso remained at PHP 0.72 in June 2026, unchanged from May, meaning PHP 1.00 in 2018 had the purchasing power of only PHP 0.72 in June 2026.

“The continued increase in inflation in June reflects sustained price pressures during the first half of 2026, driven largely by higher prices of food and selected services,” Losare said.