Negros Occidental, Bacolod inflation for poorest households slows in January

Inflation for the bottom 30 percent income households eased in both Negros Occidental and Bacolod City in January 2026, with the province posting 0.1 percent and the city recording 0.4 percent, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).

Both figures were lower compared to December 2025, when Negros Occidental registered 0.4 percent and Bacolod City posted 1.4 percent. In January 2025, inflation rates were significantly higher at 2.3 percent for the province and 3.2 percent for the city.

At the national level, inflation for the bottom 30 percent income households stood at 1.6 percent in January 2026, while the Negros Island Region posted a rate of 0.2 percent. The year-to-date inflation stood at 0.1 percent for Negros Occidental and 0.4 percent for Bacolod City.

The PSA said the main driver of the downward trend in Negros Occidental was the slower year-on-year growth rate of Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages, which posted an inflation rate of -0.5 percent during the month from -0.1 percent in December 2025.

Other drivers of the provincial downtrend were the slower annual growth rates in Transport at -1.9 percent in January 2026 from 0.5 percent in the previous month, and Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco at 5.9 percent during the month from 8.1 percent in December 2025.

The commodity group Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco, at 5.9 percent from 8.1 percent, was the top contributor to the January 2026 overall inflation for the bottom 30 percent income households in the province.

The PSA said the main driver of the downward trend was the slower year-on-year growth rate of Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages, which posted an inflation rate of -0.5 percent during the month, from -0.1 percent in December 2025.

Other drivers of the downtrend were the slower annual growth rates in Transport at -1.9 percent in January 2026 from 0.5 percent in the previous month, and Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco at 5.9 percent during the month from 8.1 percent in December 2025.

The commodity group Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco, at 5.9 percent from 8.1 percent, was the top contributor to the January 2026 overall inflation for the bottom 30 percent income households in the province.

In Bacolod City, the main driver of the downward trend was the slower year-on-year growth rate of Restaurants and Accommodation Services, which posted an inflation rate of -0.7 percent during the month, from 3.3 percent in December 2025.

Also contributing to the downtrend in the city were the slower annual growth rates of Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages at -0.9 percent in January 2026 from -0.2 percent in the previous month, and Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels at 3.6 percent during the month from 4.5 percent in December 2025.

The top three commodity groups contributing to Bacolod City’s January 2026 overall inflation for the bottom 30 percent income households were Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels at 3.6 percent from 4.5 percent; Personal Care, and Miscellaneous Goods and Services at 3.5 percent from 4.6 percent; and Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco at 1.9 percent from 3.8 percent.

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) for the bottom 30 percent income households is compiled by the PSA to measure changes in the prices of commodities commonly purchased by families belonging to the bottom 30 percent income decile. It uses a separate market basket and weights from the CPI for all income households.