Guimaras: Guimaras recorded an increase in its inflation rate in April at 4.4 percent from 1.6 percent in March, bringing the province's average inflation for the first four months of 2026 to 1.4 percent. "The latest price statistics from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showed that the April 2026 inflation rate of the province remained lower than the inflation rates recorded at the national and Western Visayas levels during the same period," PSA Guimaras Provincial Statistics Officer Nelida Losare said on Tuesday.
According to Philippines News Agency, in her presentation, which was streamed virtually, she said food and non-alcoholic beverages, transport, housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels were identified as the main sources of acceleration. Food and non-alcoholic beverages posted an inflation rate of 1.1 percent and contributed 57.9 percent to the uptrend, while transport recorded a 31.2 percent inflation rate with a 32.5 percent share.
Housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels registered a 3.3 percent inflation rate and accounted for 5.2 percent of the increase in inflation, she said. "In terms of contribution to overall inflation, transport remained the top contributor to the overall inflation in April 2026, accounting for a 54.3 percent share of the total inflation," she said.
She said that higher fuel and transport costs may influence the prices of food commodities, due to high production costs, especially in the manufacturing of food products. "Wholesale and retail goods, and services are also affected due to increased cost in hauling, distribution, and travel expenses, especially in an island province like Guimaras that relies on sea transport," she said.
Other commodity groups that recorded an increased inflation included furnishings, household equipment and routine household maintenance; personal care and miscellaneous goods and services; and recreation, sports and culture. Lower inflation rates were recorded in the clothing and footwear, health, and restaurant and accommodation services.
Further, information and communication, financial services, and education services retained their March inflation rates. 'Overall, while inflation remained relatively manageable in the first quarter, the sharp increase in April confirms that the price pressures emerging in March have intensified as the province enters the second quarter,' Losare said.
Meanwhile, the Purchasing Power of the Peso (PPP) in Guimaras declined slightly to PHP0.72 in April 2026, from PHP0.74 in the previous two months, indicating a gradual weakening in the peso's purchasing capacity during the first quarter of the year.
