PH inflation eases to 6.4% in June as transport, food costs slow

Philippine headline inflation eased to 6.4 percent in June 2026 from 6.8 percent in May, as slower increases in transport and food costs helped temper overall price growth, the Philippine Statistics Authority reported.

The latest figure brought the average inflation rate from January to June to 4.8 percent, still higher than the 1.4 percent inflation recorded in June 2025.

Courtesy of PSA

The PSA said the slower inflation rate was mainly driven by the transport index, which rose by 12.8 percent in June, down from 16.2 percent in May. Food and non-alcoholic beverages also slowed to 5.2 percent from 5.7 percent, while furnishings, household equipment, and routine household maintenance eased to 3.7 percent from 3.9 percent.

Despite the easing headline rate, some consumer segments posted faster price increases. Housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels climbed to 8.0 percent from 7.8 percent, while health rose to 4.6 percent from 4.1 percent. Information and communication also edged up to 1.0 percent from 0.9 percent, a modest increase but still relevant for households relying on digital and connectivity services.

Food remained the biggest contributor to inflation in June, accounting for 31.4 percent of the overall rate, or 2.0 percentage points. It was followed by housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels with a 26.0 percent share, and transport with an 18.4 percent share.

Food inflation also eased to 5.4 percent in June from 5.8 percent in May. The PSA attributed the slowdown mainly to a faster year-on-year decline in meat and other parts of slaughtered land animals, as well as slower increases in fish and rice.

Courtesy of PSA

Rice inflation eased to 15.0 percent from 15.6 percent, while fish and other seafood slowed to 7.8 percent from 8.8 percent.

However, some food items continued to rise faster. Vegetables, tubers, plantains, cooking bananas, and pulses increased to 9.0 percent from 6.2 percent, while flour, bread and other bakery products, pasta products, and other cereals rose to 3.9 percent from 3.5 percent.

Core inflation, which excludes selected food and energy items, moved in the opposite direction, rising to 4.4 percent in June from 4.1 percent in May. In June 2025, core inflation was lower at 2.2 percent.

In the National Capital Region, inflation slightly eased to 4.9 percent in June from 5.0 percent in May, mainly due to slower increases in transport, food and non-alcoholic beverages, and information and communication.

Outside NCR, inflation slowed to 6.7 percent from 7.1 percent, also driven largely by slower transport and food-related price movements.

Among areas outside NCR, 13 regions posted lower inflation rates compared with May. The Negros Island Region recorded the lowest inflation rate at 4.9 percent, while Central Visayas had the highest at 10.0 percent.