Western visayas: Inflation in Western Visayas has slowed down to 0.6 percent in June from 1.5 percent in May.

According to Philippines News Agency, Nelida Amolar, the Philippine Statistics Authority OIC Regional Director for Western Visayas, reported during a press briefing that the slower inflation rates in categories such as housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels, which dropped to 1.0 percent in June from 4.7 percent in May, and the decrease in the rate for food and non-alcoholic beverages from 0.3 percent to -0.5 percent, were key factors in reducing the overall inflation rate.

Amolar highlighted that the furnishings, household equipment, and routine household maintenance commodity groups were significant contributors to the 0.6 percent inflation, with a 5.7 percent inflation rate and a 29 percent share. Other notable contributors included alcoholic beverages, tobacco, and the housing-related categories mentioned earlier.

Out of the 13 major commodity groups, six experienced a slower inflation rate compared to May. The region's slower inflation rate placed it as the ninth highest in the country, on par with Davao. Notably, the report excluded Negros Occidental and Bacolod City for the first time, as they are now part of the Negros Island Region.

The report indicated that all five provinces and the highly urbanized city of Iloilo showed a downward trend in inflation. Antique recorded the lowest inflation with a negative rate of 2.2 percent, while Iloilo province had the highest at 1.7 percent.