Bacolod city: Higher food prices pushed the December 2025 inflation rates up in this highly urbanized city and the province of Negros Occidental, data released by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) on Thursday showed. In Bacolod, the headline inflation or overall inflation increased to 2.7 percent in December from 2.1 percent in November; while in Negros Occidental, it accelerated to 1.2 percent in December from 0.7 percent in the preceding month.
According to Philippines News Agency, the PSA-Negros Occidental report mentioned that the uptrend in Bacolod's inflation was primarily due to the higher year-on-year growth rate in the indices of food and non-alcoholic beverages at 2.3 percent in December, from 0.3 percent in the previous month. The report further noted that this brings the city's average inflation rate from January to December 2025 to 1.9 percent, compared to 2.4 percent in December 2024.
Meanwhile, the headline inflation or overall inflation in Negros Occidental accelerated to 1.2 percent in December, from 0.7 percent in November, still lower than 3.7 percent in December 2024. From January to December 2025, the province's average inflation rate was 1.4 percent, the PSA report said. In Negros Occidental, the main driver of the uptrend in the overall inflation in December 2025 was also the higher year-on-year growth rate in the indices of food and non-alcoholic beverages at 1.0 percent, from -0.6 percent in the preceding month.
PSA-Negros Occidental officer-in-charge chief statistical specialist Diesah Biaoco explained that Bacolod City recorded higher food prices since it sources vegetables and other food supplies from Negros Occidental and other provinces. Biaoco added that when the supply reaches Bacolod, there is an increase in prices. Higher prices were also felt in December after the city and province experienced typhoons in November. Mainly contributing to higher inflation in Negros Occidental, she said, is the increase in the prices of food such as vegetables, fruits, and seafood. Fishing activities have also been affected by typhoons, resulting in a lower supply of fish.
On November 4, Typhoon Tino brought devastation across Negros Occidental, affecting 806,665 persons from 233,437 families in at least 17 local government units. In Bacolod City, Tropical Depression Verbena brought massive floods that affected more than 50 percent of the 61 barangays due to heavy rains on November 25.
