Central Visayas January inflation rises to 5.6%

Local

INFLATION rate in Central Visayas accelerated to 5.6 percent in January 2026, reflecting faster increases in the prices of key goods and services across the region.

The Philippine Statistics Authority-Central Visayas (PSA-7) disclosed the latest inflation data during its information dissemination forum on Thursday, Feb. 12, based on the 2018-based Consumer Price Index for all income households.

The January rate rose from 3.8 percent in December 2025 and significantly higher than the 2.9 percent recorded in January 2025.

It also exceeded the national inflation rate of 2.0 percent for the same month.

Year-to-date inflation in Central Visayas stood at 5.6 percent.

Cebu Province registered the highest inflation rate in the region at 7.3 percent, followed by Lapu-Lapu City at 7.2 percent.

Cebu City posted 4.9 percent, while Mandaue City recorded 4.6 percent. Bohol logged the lowest rate at 2.2 percent.

Leopoldo Alfanta Jr., chief statistical specialist of PSA 7, cited several reasons for the rise of the inflation rate in the region but this does not immediately mean that prices in Central Visayas are higher than in other areas in the country.

Inflation is the rate at which the general level of prices for goods and services rises over a period of time, which reduces the purchasing power of money.

PSA-7 identified restaurants and accommodation services as the main driver of the acceleration, with inflation in the sector surging to 9.1 percent from 1.0 percent in December.

Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels also contributed to the increase, rising to 3.1 percent from 1.1 percent.

Transport rebounded to a 2.2 percent annual increase after a 1.1 percent annual decline in the previous month.

Other commodity groups that recorded faster annual increases included alcoholic beverages and tobacco at 4.8 percent, clothing and footwear at 2.6 percent, furnishings and routine household maintenance at 2.8 percent, health at 3.1 percent, information and communication at 0.9 percent, recreation, sport and culture at 1.5 percent, and personal care and miscellaneous goods and services at 3.2 percent.

Food and non-alcoholic beverages retained an 8.2 percent inflation rate, while education services remained at 2.6 percent and financial services at 0.0 percent.

Food inflation in the region remained at 8.7 percent in January 2026, unchanged from December but higher than the 3.2 percent recorded in January 2025.

Food and non-alcoholic beverages contributed the largest share to overall regional inflation at 59.4 percent or 3.33 percentage points.

Restaurants and accommodation services accounted for 14.7 percent or 0.82 percentage points, while housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels contributed 12.3 percent or 0.69 percentage points.

Among food items, vegetables, tubers, plantains, cooking bananas and pulses posted the biggest contribution to food inflation at 36.2 percent or 3.15 percentage points.

Fish and other seafood followed with 34.1 percent or 2.97 percentage points, while meat and other parts of slaughtered land animals accounted for 14.2 percent or 1.24 percentage points.(MyTVCebu)