La union: La Union’s inflation rate dropped to 1.1 percent in October from 1.4 percent in September this year.

According to Philippines News Agency, PSA-La Union chief statistical specialist Danites Te±ido highlighted in a recent forum that the decrease was primarily driven by the housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels sector, which significantly influenced the downtrend at 94.2 percent. Within this sector, the inflation rate for electricity notably decelerated from 33 percent in September to 21.4 percent in October, while liquified hydrocarbons saw a decrease from 4.4 percent to 3.4 percent.

Dafnae Mendoza, representing the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development Ilocos regional office, noted a reduction in electricity rates within the province, with prices dropping from PHP11.28 per kilowatt hour (kWh) to PHP10.48 kWh. Additional contributors to the declining inflation rate include the clothing and footwear sector, which decreased from a 0.7 percent inflation rate to -0.3 percent, and the health sector, which saw a slight decline to 0.4 percent from 0.7 percent.

Mendoza attributed part of this economic shift to a price freeze implemented due to a state of calamity declaration. Furthermore, a decrease was observed in several food items, with pork (fresh, chilled, or frozen) inflation dropping from 11.3 percent in September to 10.8 percent in October; tomatoes (fresh or chilled) saw a significant reduction from 34.6 percent to 86 percent; pumpkins, squash, and gourds (fresh or chilled) decreased from 33.8 percent to 53.1 percent; and other pelagic fish (live, fresh, chilled, or frozen) inflation went down from 6.4 percent to 5.5 percent.