Rising transport and food costs pushed inflation in the Province of Cebu to 11.4 percent in October 2026, up from 9.2 percent in September and 2.4 percent in the same month last year, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
The latest figures, presented by Cebu Provincial Statistical Office Chief Statistical Specialist Felixberto M. Sato Jr. during a press conference on Monday, Nov. 9, showed that inflation also increased in Cebu City, Mandaue City and Lapu-Lapu City compared with the previous month.
Cebu City recorded 8.9 percent inflation in October, higher than September’s 8.4 percent and October 2025’s 2.5 percent.
Mandaue City’s rate rose to 7.3 percent from 6.8 percent in September, while Lapu-Lapu City posted 5.2 percent, slightly above the previous month’s 5 percent but below the 5.8 percent recorded a year earlier.
Transport costs accounted for a major share of the increase, particularly in the Province of Cebu, where transport inflation more than doubled to 28 percent in October from 13.5 percent in September. The sector accounted for 55.6 percent of the province’s overall inflation uptrend.
Passenger transport by sea and inland waterways in the province recorded an even sharper increase, with inflation reaching 67.7 percent in October from 8.2 percent the previous month.
Transport inflation also accelerated in the three highly urbanized cities. Cebu City recorded 16.3 percent, Mandaue City 15.5 percent and Lapu-Lapu City 18.2 percent.
Gasoline prices contributed to the increase, with inflation in the commodity reaching 45 percent in Cebu City, 45.7 percent in Mandaue City and 54.9 percent in Lapu-Lapu City.
Transport accounted for 75.9 percent of Lapu-Lapu City’s overall inflation uptrend, according to the PSA data.
Food and non-alcoholic beverages also added to the pressure on household expenses.
In the Province of Cebu, food inflation reached 14 percent in October, up from 11.2 percent in September and 1.6 percent in October 2025.
Cebu City recorded 10.7 percent food inflation, while Mandaue City and Lapu-Lapu City posted 6 percent and 1.6 percent, respectively.
The food group contributed 8.50 percentage points to the province’s inflation and 5.01 percentage points to Cebu City’s rate.
Among food items, cereals and cereal products in the province recorded 13.7 percent inflation in October, compared with 8.6 percent in September. Cebu City posted 16.8 percent inflation for the same category.
Rice inflation remained elevated across the province and the three cities, reaching 9.2 percent in the Province of Cebu, 21.4 percent in Cebu City, 8.9 percent in Lapu-Lapu City and 8.6 percent in Mandaue City.
Corn inflation reached 24.9 percent in the province and 21.4 percent in Cebu City.
Vegetables, tubers, plantains, cooking bananas and pulses also recorded steep increases, with inflation reaching 40.4 percent in the Province of Cebu, 38.8 percent in Cebu City and 42.1 percent in Mandaue City.
📷 Jacq Hernandez, PBB Photojournalist
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