Philippine annual inflation sizzles to 7.2% in April

Inflation in the Philippines skyrocketed to a three-year high of 7.2% in April as the oil shock continued to push fuel and food prices higher, the Philippine Statistics Authority reported on Tuesday, May 5.

This is nearly double the 4.1% inflation print recorded in March and over five times faster than the 1.4% inflation rate logged a year before. It is also the highest inflation rate since March 2023, and the increase is the largest since the one from December 1993 to January 1994, when inflation jumped from 7.4% to 12.8%.

The latest inflation figures place the 2026 average print at 3.9%, on the upper end of the government target range of 2% to 4%.

National Statistician Dennis Mapa said historically high fuel prices remain the main driver for inflation, with gasoline prices logging a 59.6% inflation rate and diesel seeing a triple-digit inflation print at 122.7%.

Despite consecutive rollbacks in the past few weeks, Mapa said fuel prices remain elevated due to the Middle East situation.

Food prices, particularly the cost of rice and fish, were also among the main drivers of the faster inflation rate in April.

Inflation of rice and cereal products shot up to 11% in April from March’s 3.6%, while inflation of fish prices jumped to 9.4% from 6.6%.

Mapa said the soaring prices of fuel may have deterred some fisherfolk from fishing.

“So, ‘pag konti ‘yung lumalabas o hindi lumalabas ‘yung ating mga fisherfolk, siyempre bumababa ‘yung ating production,” he said.

(So, if only a few fisherfolk head out to sea or they don’t at all, of course our production is going to go down.)

Inflation of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) prices also surged to 45.8% from 3.7%.

In Metro Manila, inflation accelerated to 5.5% in April from 3.5% due to higher utility prices brought by the oil shock. Meanwhile, areas outside Metro Manila recorded an average inflation rate of 7.7%, nearly double the previous inflation print of 4.2%.

Central Visayas continued to log the fastest inflation rate at 10.8% compared to March’s 7.4%, while the Negros Island Region recorded the slowest at 4.9% from 1.5%.

In a statement, the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev) vowed to ramp up efforts to cushion the impact of the oil shock on vulnerable sectors. This includes the Department of Energy’s search for alternative energy sources while developing local capacity to ensure stable fuel supply.

DEPDev also noted targeted support being provided to vulnerable sectors, such as the service contracting program of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board.

“As of April 24, 2026, 1.11 million drivers were given financial assistance. As of April 27, 2026, there have also been 366,009 fuel subsidy recipients and 2.36 million commuters who were given 20% fare discounts,” the socioeconomic planning department said.

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The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas earlier forecast inflation could soar between 5.6% and 6.4% as higher fuel prices have begun to impact the cost of food and electricity.

Source: Rappler

Fertility rate in PHL steadily declines

The Philippines’ total fertility rate (TFR) reached a record low of 1.7 children per woman in the 2023-2025 period, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported.

Preliminary data from the National Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) by the PSA showed that the TFR in the three years leading up to the 2025 survey dipped from the 1.9 TFR recorded in 2022.

This was the lowest recorded TFR since tracking began in 1993, and a continuation of a downward trend in the rates throughout all releases of the NDHS.

The PSA defines the TFR as the number of a woman’s children by the end of her childbearing years.

By region, the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao logged the highest fertility rate at 2.4, followed by the Zamboanga Peninsula at 2.3, and Caraga at 2.2.

Meanwhile, the lowest TFR was recorded in Calabarzon at 1.3, followed by Metro Manila and the Negros Island Region at 1.4.

By educational attainment, women who have an elementary-level educational attainment had the highest TFR with 3.1 childbirths inching up from 3 in 2022.

This was followed by those with junior high school-level attainments and no attainments with 2.3 (from 2.5 in 2022), and then by those with senior high school-level attainments with 1.8 (from 2.7 in 2022).

Categorized by wealth quintile, those at the lowest wealth quintile had the highest TFR with 2.8 births from 3.1 in 2022.

This was followed by the second wealth quintile with 2.1 (from 2.2 in 2022), and the middle wealth quintile with 1.7 (from 1.9).

Age-specific fertility rates, which pertain to births per 1000 women over the three-year period covered, were highest in the 25 to 29-year-old age group with 94 births.

This was followed by those aged 30-34 years old with 84 births, and the 20 to 24-year-olds with 67 births.

The percentage of women who said they no longer want children rose to 49.4% from 48.8% in 2022.

By region, the largest share of women with this sentiment was highest in Bicol with 57%, followed by Mimaropa with 56.9%, and the Negros Island Region at 56.7%.

The NDHS is conducted every three years and provides data to guide policies and programs to improve the health and development of Filipinos.

It is also aligned with indicators on the Sustainable Development Goals and the Philippine Development Plan 2023-2028, covering fertility, family planning, maternal and child health, and domestic violence.

Source: Business World

Inflation accelerates to 4.1% in March

Higher fuel prices, along with increased transport costs, pushed the country’s inflation rate to 4.1 percent last month, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported.

It was markedly higher than the 2.4 percent and 1.8 percent a month and year earlier.

This is also higher than the 3.7 percent median forecast of The Manila Times' poll of economists, and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas' estimate of 3.1 to 3.9 percent.

This marks the first time inflation breached the 2.0- to 4.0-percent target since it reached 4.4 percent in July 2024.

Core inflation, which excludes select food and energy items, rose to 3.2 percent in March 2026, from 2.9 percent in the previous month. It was also higher than the 2.2 percent core inflation in March 2025.

To date, headline and core inflation is still within the target at 2.8 percent and 3.0 percent, respectively.

Source: Manila Times