THE Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) has recorded the lowest inflation rate across the entirety of Central Luzon this year as rates begin to stabilize.

The CAR recorded a 6.5 percent inflation rate in August, the lowest in Central Luzon alongside Region 3. Nationwide, the CAR and Region 3 were 7th in terms of inflation.

The inflation rate of 6.5 percent is 1.1 percentage points higher than in the same period last year of August, which was only 5.4 percent, but is lower than the previous month of July this year, which was 7.9 percent. 

Across the entirety of Central Luzon, inflation is starting to slow down, but remains high compared to the previous year.

The highest recorded inflation rate this year is in Zamboanga, at 9.1 percent, followed by Davao Region at 8.9 percent, according to the reports.

The lowest inflation rate nationwide was in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) which remained to have the lowest inflation at 4.9 percent, followed by Calabarzon at 5.1 percent.

According to the Philippine Statistics Authority-RSSO 3 Regional Director Arlene Divino, the downtrend in inflation for August was caused by lower annual increment in the index of food and non-alcoholic beverages at 4.9 percent from 7.3 percent last July.