Negros, Bacolod inflation slows further in February

Negros Occidental and Bacolod City both posted slower inflation in February 2026, with the province’s headline rate easing to 0.3 percent and the city’s slowing to 0.1 percent, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority’s Negros Occidental and Bacolod City Inflation Report released on March 12.

The report showed February inflation at 2.4 percent for the Philippines, 0.7 percent for the Negros Island Region, 0.3 percent for Negros Occidental and 0.1 percent for Bacolod City.

In Negros Occidental, the all-income-households inflation rate slowed from 0.7 percent in January 2026 to 0.3 percent in February 2026.

The province’s inflation path over the past year was 2.0 percent in February 2025, 2.8 percent in March, 2.1 percent in April, 2.4 percent in May, 1.2 percent in June, 0.5 percent in July, negative 0.2 percent in August, 1.4 percent in September, 0.5 percent in October, 0.7 percent in November, 1.2 percent in December 2025, 0.7 percent in January 2026 and 0.3 percent in February 2026.

The PSA identified health as the main driver of the deceleration in Negros Occidental’s February 2026 inflation.

Health posted 2.1 percent inflation in February and carried an 18.5 percent share, while outpatient care services slowed to 3.0 percent in February 2026 from 4.8 percent in January 2026.

Among the major contributors to Negros Occidental’s February inflation, housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels posted negative 0.2 percent inflation in February from 0.7 percent in January and accounted for 34.1 percent of the downtrend.

Alcoholic beverages and tobacco slowed to 1.1 percent in February from 4.5 percent in January and contributed 21.7 percent to the downtrend.

Food and non-alcoholic beverages eased to 0.0 percent in February from 0.2 percent in January and accounted for 19.9 percent of the downtrend.

Other commodity groups in Negros Occidental that posted lower inflation in February were health at 2.1 percent from 2.4 percent in January and transport at negative 1.5 percent from negative 0.8 percent.

Restaurants and accommodation services in the province slowed to 0.7 percent in February from 1.0 percent in January, while personal care, and miscellaneous goods and services eased to 1.4 percent from 1.9 percent.

Commodity groups that posted higher inflation in Negros Occidental were clothing and footwear at 1.3 percent from 0.7 percent, furnishings, household equipment and routine household maintenance at 4.8 percent from 2.8 percent, and recreation, sport and culture at 9.7 percent from 3.8 percent.

The province’s information and communication inflation was steady at 0.3 percent in both January and February.

Education services remained at negative 2.5 percent in both months. Financial services held at 0.0 percent in January and February.

In Bacolod City, the all-income-households inflation rate slowed more sharply to 0.1 percent in February 2026 from 1.1 percent in January 2026.

Bacolod’s inflation trend over the past year stood at 3.3 percent in February 2025, 3.5 percent in March, 2.2 percent in April, 2.4 percent in May, 0.5 percent in June, 0.1 percent in July, 0.0 percent in August, 1.1 percent in September, 1.2 percent in October, 2.1 percent in November, 2.7 percent in December 2025, 1.1 percent in January 2026 and 0.1 percent in February 2026.

The PSA said personal care, and miscellaneous goods and services was the main driver of deceleration in Bacolod City’s February inflation.

That division recorded 2.3 percent inflation and a 59.6 percent share, while personal care alone slowed to 2.5 percent in February 2026 from 3.6 percent in January 2026.

Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels was the largest contributor to Bacolod’s inflation downtrend, posting negative 0.4 percent in February from 2.9 percent in January and accounting for 57.8 percent of the downtrend.

Food and non-alcoholic beverages followed, falling to negative 0.7 percent in February from 0.4 percent in January and contributing 27.9 percent to the downtrend.

Other Bacolod commodity groups that registered lower inflation were restaurants and accommodation services at negative 2.2 percent in February from negative 0.7 percent in January, personal care, and miscellaneous goods and services at 2.3 percent from 3.3 percent, and alcoholic beverages and tobacco at 0.6 percent from 1.9 percent.

Commodity groups in Bacolod that posted higher inflation were clothing and footwear at 1.9 percent in February from 1.5 percent in January, health at 8.6 percent from 3.1 percent, and furnishings, household equipment and routine household maintenance at 0.9 percent from 0.1 percent.

Information and communication in the city edged up to 0.2 percent in February from negative 0.1 percent in January.

Transport also rose slightly to negative 0.3 percent from negative 0.4 percent. Recreation, sport and culture accelerated to 2.3 percent in February from 0.9 percent in January.

Education services in Bacolod was unchanged at 3.7 percent in January and February. Financial services also stayed flat at 0.0 percent in both months.

The February figures suggest price pressures remained subdued in both Negros Occidental and Bacolod City, with softer utility, food and selected service costs helping pull down headline inflation, even as some categories such as health, recreation, and household furnishings still registered faster price gains.