Pangasinan

The headline inflation rate in Pangasinan escalated to 5.2 percent in May 2022, from 4.3 percent in April (see Figure 1). This was the highest inflation in the province since May 2021 which was recorded at 4.8 percent (see Table B). The average inflation rate for the first five months of the year in the province was reported at 3.8 percent (see Table A).

The increase in the province's inflation rate was mainly brought about by the highest annual increase in the index for transport at 18.5 percent. Also contributing to the uptrend in the overall inflation rate of the province during the period were:

a.    Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco, 5.3 percent;

b.    Furnishings, Household Equipment, and Routine Household Maintenance, 4.0 percent;

c.    Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages, 3.7 percent;

d.    Clothing and Footwear, 3.6 percent;

e.    Health, 3.5 percent; and

f.     Personal Care, Miscellaneous Goods and Services, 3.5 percent.

Meanwhile, the inflation rate of Pangasinan in May 2022 was also brought about by the decline in the indices of Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas, and other Fuels at 8.2 percent and of Recreation, Sports, and Culture at 4.7 percent.

The rest of the commodity groups (i.e., Information and Communication, Restaurants and Accommodation Services, Education Services, and Financial Services) either retained their previous month's inflation or had zero percent annual growths (see Table C).

Specifically, the transport index in May 2022 was reported at 18.5 percent, which was 0.9 percent higher from 17.6 percent in April 2022. Inflation rate in transport commodity group was lower at 17.7 percent in May 2021.

The transport commodity group rose up further due to increased inflation rates in gasoline and motorcycles at 51.1 and 1.5 percent, respectively, in May 2022, which was 2.1 percent higher from that in the previous month. Meanwhile, inflation rates on gasoline and bicycle declined to 85.4 and 6.6 percent, respectively. The rest of the items of transport commodity retained their previous month's inflation rates (see Table D).

Note: CPIs and inflation rates by province and selected city are posted at the PSA website (https://openstat.psa.gov.ph/).

SGD. EDGAR M. NORBERTE

Chief Statistical Specialist, PSO Pangasinan