In the Ilocos Region, the inflation rate remained steady at 1.8% in November, mirroring the rate from the previous month, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority’s regional office. This consistency was announced during a virtual press conference held on Tuesday.
The primary drivers behind this inflation rate were identified as food and non-alcoholic beverages, personal care items along with miscellaneous goods and services, and the hospitality sector including restaurants and accommodation services. Sheila De Guzman, Director of PSA 1 (Ilocos Region), highlighted that the food index saw an increase to 3.6% in November from 2.4% in October, primarily due to rising prices of vegetables, tubers, plantains, cooking bananas, pulses, sugar, confectionery, and desserts, influenced by weather disturbances.
However, this rise was offset by slower inflation in sectors such as housing, utilities, household equipment, and recreational activities. Additionally, there were declines in the prices of cereals, meat, dairy products, eggs, oils, fats, fruits, nuts, and ready-made food products.
Jinnefer Pulamo, a project evaluation officer from the Department of Agriculture, noted that the stable inflation rate suggests a sufficient supply of rice and corn in the region.
Among the provinces within the Ilocos Region, Ilocos Sur experienced the highest inflation rate at 4%, followed by La Union at 1.9%, Pangasinan at 1.5%, and Ilocos Norte at 1.4%.