Inflation eased further in Negros Occidental and Bacolod City in April 2025, providing some relief to consumers facing rising living costs over the past year, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
Headline inflation in Negros Occidental fell to 2.1 percent in April, down from 2.8 percent in March and significantly lower than the 4.4 percent recorded in April 2024.
In Bacolod City, inflation slowed to 2.2 percent in April from 3.5 percent the previous month and 3.9 percent in the same period last year.
The slowdown was driven primarily by lower price increases in key commodities such as food, utilities, and restaurant services.
“For Negros Occidental, the top contributors to the April deceleration were Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages, Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels, and Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco,” said PSA Senior Statistical Specialist Jerome C. Cadayona during a press conference on May 14.
Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages posted a 1.3 percent inflation rate in April, down from 2.3 percent in March, contributing to over half of the overall decline in inflation in the province.
Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels registered a slower 2.7 percent inflation from 4.0 percent a month earlier, reflecting recent drops in electricity generation and transmission charges.
Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco, however, saw a price surge with inflation rising to 7.9 percent from 6.3 percent the previous month, reflecting higher excise taxes and demand-driven pricing.
Cadayona also highlighted that in Bacolod City, Restaurant and Accommodation Services posted a reduced inflation of 6.1 percent in April from 7.1 percent in March, followed by stable costs in Education Services at 14.9 percent and reduced inflation in food.
Despite this easing, core goods continued to reflect cost pressures.
Housing-related inflation remained a major contributor in Bacolod City, though it slowed to 1.2 percent from 4.6 percent, accounting for nearly 60 percent of the city’s overall inflation.
Transport costs in Bacolod registered deflation, with prices dropping 3.5 percent in April, compared to a 1.5 percent decline in March, likely due to lower fuel charges and public transport fare adjustments.
Higher month-on-month inflation was recorded in Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco, which rose to 6.1 percent from 5.9 percent, while categories like Clothing and Footwear and Personal Care reflected modest declines.
Inflation in other sectors, such as Education, Health, Information and Communication, and Financial Services, either remained stable or showed minimal movement, signaling a potential stabilization of consumer prices in the coming months.
On a national level, the Philippines posted a 1.4 percent inflation rate in April 2025, the lowest in recent years, driven by lower food and energy prices and reflecting the country’s overall disinflation trend.
