La Union’s headline inflation rate continued its downward trend as it further slowed down to 0.9 percent in January 2022 from 1.9 percent in the previous month. Inflation in January a year ago was higher at 3.7 percent.

The slowdown in the overall inflation in January 2022 was brought by annual decline in the Food and Non-alcoholic index at -2.0 percent from 0.2 percent in December 2021. Likewise, from December 2021 to January 2022, decelerations in other indices were noted in the following commodity groups: housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels (from 4.9% to 4.3%); health (from 2.2% to 2.1%), and clothing and footwear (from 0.4% to 0.3%).

On the other hand, higher annual increments were noted in the indices of the following commodity groups: recreation, sport and culture (from 3.9% to 4.8%); transport (from 7.0% to 7.8%); alcoholic beverages and Tobacco (from 3.4% to 3.7%); and furnishings, household equipment, and routine household maintenance (from 1.5% to 1.7%).

Furthermore, the indices of restaurants and accommodation services; personal care and miscellaneous goods and services; education; and financial services maintained their previous annual growth rates at 1.0%, 0.3%, 0.0% and 45.5%, respectively.

The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) has rebased the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for all income households to base year 2018, from base year 2012. The methodology of rebasing the CPI to base year 2018 was approved by the PSA Board through PSA Board Resolution No. 15 Series of 2021.

SGD. DANITES E. TEÑIDO, Ph.D.
Chief Statistical Specialist

/MAQ/KJGH