Inflation quickens for Negros Occidental’s poorest households

Inflation for bottom 30% income households in Negros Occidental rose to 3.4 percent in May 2026 from 2.2 percent in April 2026, the Philippine Statistics Authority said.

The May 2026 rate was also faster than the 2.1 percent recorded in May 2025, according to the PSA Negros Occidental Provincial Statistical Office’s Summary Inflation Report on the Consumer Price Index for Bottom 30% Income Households, with 2018 as the base year.

The report, released June 11, 2026, carried reference number PR2026-06-1845-107 and was approved for release by John F. Campomanes, chief statistical specialist of PSA Negros Occidental.

For the Philippines, inflation for bottom 30% income households stood at 8.4 percent in May 2026, slightly lower than 8.5 percent in April 2026 but higher than 0.0 percent in May 2025.

The national year-to-date inflation rate for the income group was 5.0 percent.

In the Negros Island Region, inflation accelerated to 5.0 percent in May 2026 from a revised 3.7 percent in April 2026 and 1.3 percent in May 2025.

The region’s year-to-date inflation rate was 1.9 percent.

Negros Occidental posted a year-to-date inflation rate of 0.8 percent.

Bacolod City’s inflation rate for bottom 30% income households climbed to 7.2 percent in May 2026 from a revised 5.2 percent in April 2026 and 2.0 percent in May 2025.

Bacolod’s year-to-date inflation rate was 2.8 percent.

In Negros Occidental, the main drivers of the faster May inflation were food and non-alcoholic beverages, which rose to 1.7 percent from 0.4 percent, and restaurants and accommodation services, which increased to 11.3 percent from 6.7 percent.

The top contributors to Negros Occidental’s headline inflation were food and non-alcoholic beverages at 1.7 percent from 0.4 percent; restaurants and accommodation services at 11.3 percent from 6.7 percent; and alcoholic beverages and tobacco at 6.8 percent from 4.8 percent.

The province’s monthly inflation trend for bottom 30% income households showed 2.1 percent in May 2025, 0.5 percent in June, -0.2 percent in July, -0.9 percent in August, 1.0 percent in September, -0.3 percent in October, 0.1 percent in November, 0.4 percent in December, 0.1 percent in January 2026, -0.1 percent in February, -1.4 percent in March, 2.2 percent in April, and 3.4 percent in May.

In Bacolod City, the main driver of the May 2026 uptrend was food and non-alcoholic beverages, which rose to 7.3 percent from 3.9 percent.

The top three contributors to Bacolod’s May 2026 inflation were food and non-alcoholic beverages at 7.3 percent from 3.9 percent; restaurants and accommodation services at 8.5 percent from 2.2 percent; and clothing and footwear at 11.3 percent from 5.7 percent.

Bacolod’s recent monthly inflation trend showed 2.0 percent in May 2025, -0.4 percent in June, -1.1 percent in July, -1.4 percent in August, -0.3 percent in September, -0.4 percent in October, 0.9 percent in November, 1.4 percent in December, 0.4 percent in January 2026, -0.5 percent in February, 1.9 percent in March, 5.2 percent in April, and 7.2 percent in May.

The PSA said the Consumer Price Index measures changes in the average retail prices of a fixed basket of goods and services commonly purchased by households relative to a base year.

The base year or base period is the reference period at which the index number is set to 100.

The PSA said inflation rate refers to the annual rate of change, or year-on-year change, in the CPI expressed as a percentage.

A positive inflation rate means prices increased compared with the previous year, while a negative rate means prices decreased compared with the previous year.

The agency said a positive but lower inflation rate compared with the previous month means prices still increased year on year, but at a slower pace.

The CPI for bottom 30% income households measures changes in prices of commodities commonly purchased by families in the bottom 30% income decile.

The PSA said the price collection and CPI computation process for the bottom 30% income households is the same as that for all income households, but it uses a separate market basket and weights.

Purchasing power of the peso measures the real value of the peso in a given period relative to the base period.