Guimaras’ inflation slowest in May 2019

THE year-on-year inflation rate of Guimaras in May 2019 slowed down at 1.2 percent, or a 1.4 percentage points drop from 2.6 percent in April.

The slower inflation is due to decreased index in the heavily weighted commodity group – Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas & Other Fuels – from 121.8 in May 2018 to 116.0 in May 2019.

Food and non-food commodity groups with controllable price increment that drove inflation in May (but not higher than the rate a month ago) were:

• Transport which, increased by 1.5 percentage points to an index of 104.4% from 102.9% in April;
• Recreation and Culture by 1.0 percentage points to an index of 102.9% from 101.9 %; and
• the remaining three groups which showed increments of 0.4 percent and below were:
  • Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages by 0.2 percentage points
  • Clothing and Footwear by 0.4 percentage points; and
  • Furnishing, Household Equipment and Routine Maintenance of the House by 0.2 percentage points

However, the health index fell to 112.4 in May from 112.6 index a month ago while, the five commodity groups remain unchanged to include: Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco (220.0); Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas & Other Fuels (116.0); Communication (99.9); Education (116.6) and; Restaurants and Miscellaneous (110.4).

Guimaras’ inflation in the first five months of the current year was unstable from a height of 3.2 percent in January. It slowed down in February and March at 2.6 percent and 2.5 percent, respectively, which was not sustained as it slightly increased in April at 2.6 percent.

By May, it significantly slowed down to 1.2 percent.

“The data also showed that despite of the increasing prices of goods and services in Guimaras, the cost of living of a typical Guimarasnon is still manageable, the rate of increase as measured by the inflation rate is slower compared to the first four months of the current year,” said Chief Statistical Specialist Nelida B. Losare of Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA)-Guimaras.

Compared to other provinces in Western Visayas, Guimaras ranked second in terms of lower inflation rate, after Antique with 1.1.

Aklan is third with 1.4 rate and Iloilo with 1.9.

Capiz and Negros Occidental showed faster inflation with 3.2 and 4.9, respectively.

Meanwhile, only Antique and Capiz have a consistent decreasing inflation rate in the first five months. Aklan and Iloilo showed the same trend wherein its rates steadily declined in the first four months before it slowly inched up on the fifth month.

In contrast, only Negros Occidental showed erratic trends in the first five months of 2019.