MANILA, Philippines (Updated 9:50 a.m.) — The country's headline inflation further quickened to 6.7 percent in September, the Philippine Statistics Authority announced Friday.
The September inflation was higher than the 6.4 percent in August, a new nine-year high.
This is slightly lower than the Bangko Sentral's 6.8 percent forecast and higher than the 6.4 percent forecast of the Department of Finance.
LOOK | Details of the September inflation (via @josebimbosantos) pic.twitter.com/dFlkfrRCnG
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Food and non-alcoholic beverages; housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels; and transport are the top contributors to the overall inflation, the PSA said.
The food and non-alcoholic beverages index grew to 9.7 percent in September while transport was at 8 percent.
Other commodity groups also registered increases — alcoholic beverages and tobacco (21.8 percent), clothing and footwear (2.5 percent), furnishing, household equipment and routine maintenance of the house (3.6 percent), health (4.1 percent), communication (0.5 percent) and recreation and culture (3 percent).
'Ompong' contributed to Bicol inflation
PSA also said inflation in the National Capital Region was slower at 6.3 percent in September, and higher outside the capital at 6.7 percent. The highest inflation in the regions was 10.1 percent in Bicol and lowest in Central Luzon at 4.5 percent.
National Statistician Lisa Bersales said Typhoon Ompong (international name Mangkhut) has specifically contributed to the increase of prices of commodities in the Bicol region.
Bersales noted that data is collected in the first five days and the middle of the month, which means that aftermath of the typhoon might have already been reflected on the September inflation.
Ompong ravaged northern Luzon on September 15, damaging almost P27 billion worth of rice, corn, high value crops, fisheries and livestock in the country. — Patricia Lourdes Viray