Phl inflation slows down further

The headline inflation at the national level continued to exhibit a slower pace at 0.9 percent in September 2019.

It was the lowest inflation since June 2016, in which the inflation rate was 1.3 percent.

Inflation in August 2019 was higher at 1.7 percent and in September 2018 (6.7 percent).

Contributing primarily to the downtrend in the inflation during the month was the the 0.9 percent annual rate of decrease in the index of the heavily-weighted food and non-alcoholic beverages. Likewise, the annual change of the transport index decreased further by 0.9 percent in September 2019.

Lower annual increases were also posted in the following commodity groups during the month:

Housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels, 0.8%;

Restaurant and miscellaneous goods and services, 3.0%.

On the other hand, inflation of alcoholic beverages and tobacco index moved up further by 14.3 percent in September 2019.

Inflation in the National Capital Region, likewise, eased further to 0.9 percent in September 2019. Its annual rate was higher at 1.4 percent in August 2019 and 6.3 percent in September 2018.

Other regions outside NCR also registered slower annual rates in September 2019. The lowest annual rate of -1.3 percent was still recorded in Region IX (Zamboanga Peninsula) while the highest annual growth of 2.2 percent remained in MIMAROPA (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan) Region (PSA)