Cebu inflation hits 13.6%

CEBU, PHILIPPINES — Cebu Province posted a 13.6-percent inflation rate in May 2026, the highest among provinces and highly urbanized cities in Central Visayas, prompting the provincial government to intensify efforts to cushion residents from the impact of rising prices.

The latest figure was higher than the 12.9-percent inflation rate recorded in April and sharply above the 0.5 percent posted in May last year, according to data released by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) Cebu Provincial Statistical Office.

Engineer Felixberto M. Sato Jr., Officer-in-Charge of the Provincial Statistical Office of Cebu, presented the latest inflation data during a press briefing, noting that while all areas recorded higher inflation rates compared with May 2025, only the Province of Cebu posted an acceleration month-on-month.

Sato said the acceleration in the province was mainly driven by faster price increases in food and non-alcoholic beverages.
Provincial Administrator Atty. Joseph Felix Mari “Ace” Durano said the Cebu Provincial Government is closely coordinating with the PSA Central Office to gain a clearer understanding of the factors driving the increase in consumer prices.

Durano said the provincial government wants to determine why Central Visayas continues to register the highest inflation rate in the country and why Cebu Province posted a higher inflation rate than neighboring provinces.

“The two biggest contributors to inflation are food and transportation,” Durano said in an interview.

PSA data showed that food and non-alcoholic beverages remained the primary driver of inflation in Cebu Province, posting a 17.9-percent inflation rate in May, up from 16.5 percent in April.

The commodity group accounted for 73.5 percent of the overall inflation increase and contributed 7.74 percentage points to the province’s 13.6-percent inflation rate.

Transport was the second-largest contributor, recording a 24.3-percent inflation rate in May, higher than the 22.4 percent registered in April. The sector contributed 22.8 percent to the overall increase and added 2.22 percentage points to the province’s inflation rate.

Durano said the two sectors are closely linked because Cebu remains heavily dependent on supplies coming from other provinces and islands.

“We don’t produce enough for our needs here, whether vegetables, meat, chicken, pork and other goods,” he said.

While Cebu has its own agricultural production, Durano noted that local output remains insufficient to meet the demands of its growing population, forcing traders to source products from outside the province.

Because a large portion of food commodities is transported into Cebu, increases in shipping and transportation costs inevitably affect retail prices, he added.

Durano also cited rising fuel prices as one of the factors driving higher transportation costs.

PSA figures further showed that food inflation in Cebu Province accelerated to 19.1 percent in May from 17.5 percent in April.
Among food commodities, vegetables, tubers and similar crops registered the highest inflation rate at 53.3 percent. Corn followed at 40.8 percent, while fruits and nuts recorded 32.5 percent.

Fish and other seafood posted a 28.7-percent inflation rate, followed by oils and fats at 13.2 percent and rice at 10.9 percent.

Durano said the latest inflation figures underscore the urgency of pursuing programs that enhance food security and reduce transportation costs.

He noted that Governor Pamela Baricuatro has been pushing initiatives aimed at addressing both concerns.

Among these are transportation-related interventions such as the Tabang Pangbiyahe program and the planned deployment of electric buses in Cebu.

Durano said efforts to harmonize truck-ban schedules across Metro Cebu are likewise intended to improve the movement of goods and help lower transport-related expenses.

“Now that we have the numbers, it becomes more critical,” he said.

He added that strengthening agricultural production remains one of the most important long-term solutions to rising food prices.
“We really need to produce more. We need to support our farmers and improve food production,” Durano said.

He also pointed out that Cebu’s status as a major urban and metropolitan center naturally generates higher demand compared to more agriculture-dependent provinces.

Meanwhile, inflation among the bottom 30 percent of income households in Cebu Province rose to 18.1 percent in May from 16.1 percent in April.

Food and non-alcoholic beverages remained the primary source of inflationary pressure for low-income families, posting a 22.4-percent inflation rate, while transport inflation accelerated to 29 percent.

Despite the increase in Cebu Province, inflation eased in Cebu City, Lapu-Lapu City and Mandaue City.

Cebu City posted a 9.1-percent inflation rate in May, down from 9.4 percent in April, while Lapu-Lapu City and Mandaue City both registered 9.7 percent, lower than their respective April figures.

For the entire Central Visayas region, inflation remained at 10.8 percent in May, unchanged from April, but still the highest among all regions in the country.