In September 2026, Western Visayas recorded a significant increase in its inflation rate, registering at 9.2%. This figure places the region as having the second-highest inflation rate in the Philippines, significantly climbing from 8.4% noted in August. The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA-6) indicated that this September rate is the highest recorded in Western Visayas this year, bringing the average inflation rate for the year to 6.0%. Last year, the same month showed an inflation rate of just 0.2%, highlighting the drastic shift in economic conditions over the past year.
According to Nelida Amolar, the Director of PSA-6, the region's current standing marks a substantial decline in performance relative to previous months. Once ranked as the sixth, seventh, or ninth highest inflation region, Western Visayas now finds itself second highest among the regions outside of the National Capital Region (NCR), with only the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) surpassing it at 9.7%.
Food and nonalcoholic beverages have been the primary contributors to this inflation rise, accounting for 38.7% of the total inflation rate. Specifically, cereals and cereal products saw a notable increase, with their inflation rate escalating from 21.4% in August to 24.0% in September. The most significant contributor to the inflation was rice, which experienced a surge from 26.3% to 30.0% within the same timeframe.
Amolar explained that lower rice production relative to the same period last year has partly fueled this inflation. She noted the government had previously subsidized rice prices, highlighting a noticeable drop in production compared to prior years. There is hope for an uptick in rice production in the third and fourth quarters, which officials believe could stabilize prices in the market.
Moreover, the inflation rate among the bottom 30% of income households in Western Visayas rose sharply to 11.7% in September, up from 10.7% recorded in August. This segment had seen a negative inflation rate of -2.3% in September 2025. The rise in inflation for this group is again attributed to faster increases in food and nonalcoholic beverages, recorded at 10.5%, up from 8.8% in the previous month.
The impact of inflation was evident across the provinces in Western Visayas. All provinces and the highly urbanized city of Iloilo noted increased inflation rates in September except for Guimaras, which saw a lower rate of 4.9%. Aklan recorded the highest inflation rate in the region at 11.6%, demonstrating the widespread economic challenge faced by residents.
As inflation continues to rise, the region's consumers will likely feel the squeeze on their budgets, making basic goods more expensive and straining financial resources. Economic analysts and residents alike are keeping a close eye on upcoming rice production reports and overall economic conditions to gauge potential improvements in pricing.