The Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) recorded the lowest inflation rate in the country in December last year at 6.3 percent, a report released by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showed.

Trailing second-lowest are Region 12 or Soccsksargen Region and Region-4A or Calabarzon area at 7.1 percent. Region 5 or the Bicol Region has the third-lowest inflation rate at 7.2 percent.

The PSA also reported that Region 6 or Western Visayas got the highest inflation rate at 10.5 percent.

Edward Donald Eloja, the PSA-BARMM chief statistical specialist, said the region’s inflation rate at 6.3 percent last month was slightly higher than 6.0 percent in November 2022.

“The slight increase of an inflation rate to 0.3 percent in December compared to the previous month in the BARMM was primarily due to the increase in the indices of two commodity groups,” he said.

He identified the commodity groups that posted increases as those of food and non-alcoholic beverages at 8.5 percent in December compared to 7.6 percent in November; and housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels at 3.2 percent compared to 2.9 percent in November.

Eloja also reported that BARMM has recorded an average monthly inflation rate of 4.1 percent in 2022.

Lanao del Sur still recorded the highest inflation rate in December 2022 among BARMM provinces at 8.7 percent, followed by Tawi-Tawi (7.3 percent), Basilan (6.6 percent), Sulu (5.4 percent), and Maguindanao (4.8 percent).

PSA-BARMM said Cotabato City’s inflation rate increased to 5.3 percent in December compared to 4.2 percent in November 2022. (PNA)