The provincial inflation rate recorded a slight decrease recently, despite higher cost of fuel, services, clothing and other goods, the National Statistics Office said last week.

The NSO Catanduanes Branch reported that the inflation rate for November 2006 was pegged at 3.9%, a bit lower than the 5.3 percent recorded in October 2006. The figure is also 3.6 percentage points lower than the 7.5% for November 2005.

Higher prices were noted in commodity groups of Fuel, Light & Water (13.2%); Non-Food (4.7%); Services (4.1%); Clothing (3.3%); Miscellaneous (3.1%); Food Beverages and Tobacco (3.0%); and, Housing (2.3%).

On the other hand, the Consumer Price Index for all income households fell from 139.8 in October 2006 to 139.6 for November 2006. The Purchasing Power of the Peso remained at its previous level of 72 centavos.