Higher food prices pushed the December 2025 inflation rates up in Bacolod City and the province of Negros Occidental, data released by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showed yesterday.

In Bacolod, the headline inflation or overall inflation increased to 2.7 percent in December from 2.1 percent in November; while in Negros Occidental, it accelerated to 1.2 percent in December from 0.7 percent in the preceding month.

The PSA-Negros Occidental report said the uptrend in Bacolod’s inflation was primarily due to the higher year-on-year growth rate in the indices of food and non-alcoholic beverages at 2.3 percent in December, from 0.3 percent in the previous month.

“This brings the city’s average inflation rate from January to December 2025 to 1.9 percent. In December 2024, the inflation rate was posted at 2.4 percent,” it said.

Meanwhile, the headline inflation or overall inflation in Negros Occidental accelerated to 1.2 percent in December, from 0.7 percent in November, still lower than 3.7 percent in December 2024.

From January to December 2025, the province’s average inflation rate was 1.4 percent, the PSA report said.

In Negros Occidental, the main driver to the uptrend in the overall inflation in December 2025 was also the higher year-on-year growth rate in the indices of food and non-alcoholic beverages at one percent, from -0.6 percent in the preceding month.

PSA-Negros Occidental officer-in-charge chief statistical specialist Diesah Biaoco, said Bacolod City recorded higher food prices since it sources vegetables and other food supply from Negros Occidental and other provinces.

“When the supply reaches Bacolod, there is an increase in prices. Higher prices were also felt in December after the city and province experienced typhoons in November,” she added.

Biaoco said mainly contributing to higher inflation in Negros Occidental is the increase in the prices of food such as vegetables, fruits, and seafood.

“Fishing activities have also been affected by typhoons, resulting in lower supply of fish,” she said.

On November 4, Typhoon “Tino” brought devastation across Negros Occidental, affecting 806,665 persons from 233,437 families in at least 17 local government units.

In Bacolod City, Tropical Depression “Verbena” brought massive floods that affected more than 50 percent of the 61 barangays due to heavy rains on November 25. (PNA)