Headline inflation in February accelerated to 3.4 percent after easing to its slowest pace more than three yeas in January, at the higher end of the forecast range of the Bangko Sentra ng Pilipinas due to increases in the prices of food, particularly rice, and the cost of transport and utilities.
Increased tax collection last year narrowed the government’s budget deficit to P1.512 trillion from P1.614 trillion in 2022, albeit slightly wider than the P1.499 trillion deficit target for the year.
The total national government debt at the end of January reach P14.79 trillion, up P173.91 billion from the level at the end December 2023, nudged higher by an increase in domestic borrowings for budget support.