Inflation in Western Visayas has slowed down to 0.6 percent in June from 1.5 percent in May.

In a press briefing on Friday, Nelida Amolar, Philippine Statistics Authority officer-in-charge Regional Director for Western Visayas, said the slower inflation in housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels at one percent in June from 4.7 percent in May, and the -0.5 percent rate of food and non-alcoholic beverages from 0.3 percent were among the factors in easing the overall inflation rate.

“The major contributor to the 0.6 percent inflation was furnishings, household equipment and routine household maintenance commodity groups with 5.7 percent inflation and 29 percent share,” she said.

Other major contributors included alcoholic beverages and tobacco and housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels.

“Of the 13 major commodity groups, six groups recorded a slower inflation rate when compared with May,” she added.

The slower inflation placed the region as the ninth highest inflation rate, tied with Davao among other regions in the country.

For the first time, the inflation report did not include Negros Occidental and Bacolod City, which are now part of the Negros Island Region.

Based on the report, all five provinces and the highly urbanized city of Iloilo registered a downtrend in inflation.

Antique scored the lowest inflation at negative 2.2 percent, while Iloilo province has the highest at 1.7 percent. (PNA)