DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 5 May) – The four-province and four-city Region 12, also known as Soccsksargen Region, posted an inflation rate of 3.6% in April 2020, the highest among 17 regions in the country, according to a report of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) released on May 5.
Soccsksargen’s inflation rate last month was higher as compared to 3.2% reported in March 2020.
The region is composed of the provinces of Cotabato, Sarangani, South Cotabato, and Sultan Kudarat, and cities of General Santos, Kidapawan, Koronadal, and Tacurong.
The Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) – comprising the provinces of Basilan, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi, and cities of Cotabato, Lamitan, and Marawi – slightly increased to 2.7% last month from 2.3% in March.
The other regions of the island reported stable inflation rates for April 2020. Northern Mindanao has remained the lowest among Mindanao’s six regions at 1.4% in April, lower as compared to 2% in March. The National Capital Region reported the lowest inflation rate in the country at 1.
2%.
According to PSA, the Zamboanga Peninsula went down to 2.5% in April from 2.6% in March; Davao Region sustained at 2.
2%, and Caraga at 2.8% from 2.9%.
The agency said the headline inflation rate settled at 2.2% in April 2020, which was lower than 2.5% in March 2020.
It said contributing to the downtrend in the headline inflation in April 2020 was the further decrease in the annual rate of transport index at 6.1%. This was the lowest inflation recorded in this group’s index since October 2015.
In addition, it said slower annual mark-ups were seen in the indices of the alcoholic beverages and tobacco, 17.9%; clothing and footwear, 2.6%; housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels, 0.3%; health, 2.8%; communication, 0.3%; and restaurant and miscellaneous goods and services, 2.
4%. (Antonio L. Colina IV / MindaNews)
