Prices in transport drives

headline inflation to 8.4%

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol (PIA)— Carried on by the faster year-on-year increase in the transport index which sustained its double digit climb to a nasty 19.9 percent in September as against the 18.0 percent in August this year, plus a confluence of faster inflation rates in prices of basic commodities, Bohol’s over-all inflation accelerated to 8.4 percent from 7.9 percent in August.

Based on the report from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) that held a live-streamed data presentation from a regional management conference in Leyte, Bohol’s September inflation rate is 1.2 percent higher than the national inflation and 0.1 percent over the regional inflation data.

According to PSA Bohol chief supervising statistician Jessamyne Anne Alcazaren, price indices from Transport sector continued its relentless torque dragging with its indices in housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels, which also trained an increase from 5.1 percent in August to 5.8 in September.

In September alone, the series of three consecutive fuel price increases bringing gasoline to a P15.17 price leap, diesel by P18.29 and kerosene by P16.20, businesses have to effect subsequent price adjustments that could have shaken the whole value chain.

PSA, which sends price monitors to selected stores in strategic economic centers in Bohol, said they also recorded faster price movements in restaurants and accommodation services from 5.4 percent to 6.9 percent, and in the furnishings, household equipment and routine household maintenance from 6.3 percent rising to 7.8 percent.

A similar big leap also happened in clothing and footwear prices which has 5.0 percent to 5.8 percent and in personal care and miscellaneous goods and services at 1.9 percent from 1.7 percent, Alcazaren pointed out.

The statistics collecting body also logged the inflations in September mainly contributed by food and non alcoholic beverages with 41.8 percent share , transport with 27.1 percent share and housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels which owns the 16.6 percent share in the overall headline inflation difference.

And as Bohol traverses towards November and December, which have been tagged to as the peak months of the El Nino, which has so far damaged P190 million in crops, the province may be in for yet another rise in inflation with food getting more scarce in the drought. (PIAbohol)

NOW TIED WITH CEBU CITY. At 8.4 % headline inflation, Bohol now ties with Cebu City while Cebu Province has a 9.2% inflation. Highly Urbanized cities of Mandaue and Lapulapu keep a much lower inflation at 6.8 and 5.0 percent respectively, according to the PSA. (PIABohol)