MANILA, April 7, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Philippine inflation jumped dramatically in March, government figures showed Tuesday, hitting a nearly two-year high of 4.1 percent on the back of historically high fuel prices driven by the Middle East war. The economic planning department said Tuesday that inflation in the transport sector was largely responsible for the March surge. "The main reason for the rise in inflation this March 2026 compared to February is the increase in transport prices, with a 9.9 percent inflation rate," national statistician Dennis Mapa told a news briefing. "Non-food inflation rose to 4.9 percent in March 2026, with private transport inflation accelerating to 31.3 percent amid a surge in fuel prices," the economic planning department said in a statement. Non-food inflation came in at 2.8 percent in February, while private transport prices fell 3.1 percent that month.

Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha April 07, 2026 05:07 UTC