The inflation rate in Northern Mindanao climbed to 4.6% in March 2026, up from 2.3% in February and just 0.1% in the same month last year, according to Apple Sweet Cempron-Libre, Statistical Specialist II of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
She explained that transportation was the biggest driver of inflation, with transport costs surging by 13.8% due to higher fuel prices and increased fares in land, sea, and air travel.
Food and non-alcoholic beverages also contributed, rising by 3.2%, particularly in rice, tomatoes, vegetables, and fish such as tamban. Cempron-Libre stressed that the high cost of moving goods from farms to markets has significantly pushed up consumer prices in the region.
This highlights how rising fuel costs ripple across sectors, making essentials more expensive and burdening households throughout Northern Mindanao.
