By Mariela Angella Oladive
With inflation tightening household budgets in Western Visayas, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) Region 6 advocates for family sustenance activities to offset the eroding purchasing power of families.
Nelida Amolar, PSA 6 Regional Director, urged households during a March 19 inflation press briefing to cultivate secondary income sources.
“If a certain household is maintaining the same income, I encourage everyone to have a family sustenance activity like gardening, or a side business like load retailing, alongside permanent jobs,” Amolar advised.
She also highlighted the benefits of small-scale livestock raising, pointing out the affordability and contribution to food security, noting that large-scale farming might not be viable for all due to spatial and financial limits.
The rise in living costs has left many, including a bank teller interviewed by Daily Guardian, struggling with budget constraints, especially with escalating food prices. “Even if I am earning, it’s still not enough… If my expenses exceed my daily earnings, it won’t be enough to sustain my family,” she shared.
To manage her finances, she opts to cook at home, especially vegetables, as meat prices surge. “Grocery shopping is really painful, too,” she said, lamenting how quickly essentials deplete her budget.
The recent inflation report for February highlighted a 2.7 percent rate in the region, a 0.7 percent climb from January’s 2.0 percent.
Key factors driving inflation included the cost of food, beverages, housing, utilities, transportation, and communication.
Guimaras faced the steepest inflation at 5.9 percent, with Antique close behind at 5.5 percent, while Iloilo City saw the lowest at 0.4 percent, albeit an increase from the previous month’s -1.1 percent.
Amolar emphasized the significance of at-home sustenance activities as a buffer against inflation, encouraging proactive steps to alleviate financial pressure. PSA Region 6’s initiative aims not just at self-sufficiency but also at enhancing community resilience in tough economic times.
