Inanunsyo ng Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) nitong Martes na sumirit sa 8.7% ang inflation rate nitong Enero, 2023. Higit ito sa inaasahan ng Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) na nasa 7.5% hanggang 8.3% lang.
Ang 8.7% January 2023 inflation rate ay mas mataas sa 8.1% na naitala noong December 2022. Sa press briefing, sinabi ni National Statistician at PSA chief Claire Dennis Mapa, ang January 2023 inflation rate ang pinakamabilis mula nang maitala ang 9.1% inflation rate noong November 2008.
"Ang pangunahing sanhi ng mas mataas na antas ng inflation nitong Enero 2023 kumpara noong Disyembre 2022 ay ang mas mabilis na pagtaas ng presyo ng Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels," paliwanag ni Mapa.
Sa isang pahayag, sinabi ni Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Jr., na inaasahan na bababa na ang inflation rate dahil umano sa pagbaba naman ng presyo ng mga produktong petrolyo at mga agricultural product.
“It is unfortunate that we get the news today that inflation has continued to increase up to 8.7%. I supposed it can only be said that the measures that we have taken have not yet gone through the system,” pahayag ng pangulo.
“As I said, the importation of many of the agricultural products, which have been a large part of the inflation rate... as we have already taken some measures so that the supply will be greater and so that will bring the prices down but that will take a little time. And as my continuing estimate or forecast is that by – we can see the lowering of inflation by the second quarter of this year,” dagdag niya.
Nitong nakaraang linggo, naglabas ng pahayag ang BSP na maaaring manatiling mataas ang inflation rate ng Enero dahil sa mataas na singil sa kuryente, inaprubahang water rate rebasing, mataas na presyo ng mga produktong petrolyo, mahal na mga pangunahing bilihin at taunang pagtaas sa sin taxes.
Naglabas ng pagtaya ang BSP na maglalaro sa 7.5% hanggang 8.3% ang inflation rate sa Enero.
Sa isang pahayag, tiniyak ni Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno na "on top of the situation," ang pamahalaan sa kabila ng naitalang 8.7% na bagong inflation rate.
“The President remains on top of the situation as the administration continues to adopt a whole-of-government approach to tame inflation especially on key food items,” anang kalihim, na nagsabing magpapatupad ang targeted subsidies sa mga apektadong sektor.
“We will intensify our efforts to bring full year inflation within the DBCC’s inflation assumption of 2.5-4.5 % for 2023,” ani Diokno.
“We expect inflation to decelerate in the latter part of 2023. Modernizing and improving agriculture and securing ample and lower energy supply could help stabilize inflation moving forward,’ dagdag niya. —FRJ, GMA Integrated News
