CALAMBA CITY, Laguna (PIA) — Driven by the faster rise in the prices of goods and services across all provinces and the highly urbanized city (HUC) in the CALABARZON region, the Philippine Statistics Authority recorded a 7.5 percent inflation rate in April 2026 amid the ongoing crisis in the Middle East.
In its report, PSA said that the inflation rate recorded in April was mainly driven by the continued inflation and higher price increases on goods and commodities compared to the previous month.
According to Charito Armonia, Regional Director of PSA Region IV-A, the major commodity group that contributed to the overall 7.5 percent inflation rate was transportation which posted an 18.9 percent inflation rate, followed by housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels at 10.2 percent, and food and non-alcoholic beverages at 4.7 percent.
“Ang pangunahing dahilan ng mas mabilis na pagtaas ng presyo ng mga kalakal at serbisyo sa ating rehiyon nitong Abril 2026 kumpara noong Marso 2026 ay ang mas mabilis na pagtaas ng presyo ng transport na may 18.9 percent inflation, ito ay may 35.0 percent share sa pagtaas ng pangkalahatang inflation sa rehiyon,” Armonia said during a press conference on May 11.
All provinces and the HUC in CALABARZON recorded higher inflation rates in April 2026 than in March, where Laguna posted the sharpest increase at 8.4 percent, followed by Rizal (8.2 percent), Quezon (8.1 percent), Cavite (7.4 percent), City of Lucena (6.2 percent), and Batangas (5.2 percent).
PSA also reported that the purchasing power of peso in the Calabarzon region declined to P0.73 centavos, compared to the value of P1 in 2018.
Despite these economic challenges, the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev) assured the public that the government, through its various agencies, is implementing measures and assistance programs to help the sectors most affected by rising inflation, particularly the transport sector.
“Our situation is different here but the government has some programs in place to help those who are in need. For example, the government is giving assistance to the drivers for the transport group, may programa din ang DA, DTI is monitoring prices to ensure that no one would capitalize on the difficult circumstances that we have now, and also, there are attempts by the government to secure oil supply from other countries,” DEPDev Calabarzon Regional Director Carmel Matabang said.
Meanwhile, with the gradual decline in fuel prices observed in the country, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) continues to distribute Cash Relief Assistance (CRA) under its Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS) program.
In CALABARZON, a total of 106,063 tricycle drivers have already received financial assistance from the agency, while the distribution of P5,000 relief aid to jeepney drivers in the region has also begun.
Other government programs have also been launched, including the TUPAD Tuloy Pasada Program of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) in collaboration with the Department of Transportation (DOTr), which aims to ensure that drivers continue to earn income while helping maintain the continuity of public transportation services.
These efforts are in line with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to implement a whole-of-government approach in addressing the challenges brought by the crisis, emphasizing coordinated inter-agency action to protect the economy, ensure food supply, and stabilize essential services, particularly for low-income and vulnerable Filipinos. (COP/PIA CALABARZON with reports from PSA)
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