Inflation in July jumped to 4.4 percent after it slowed down to 3.7 percent in June due to increases in the prices of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and food products, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported on Tuesday.

The increase came after inflation showed signs of slowing down, but Finance Secretary Ralph Recto said this was ''likely a one-time uptick.''

Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said the government is working to ''address our nation's most pressing concern of ensuring food security amid the faster rise in prices and the expected typhoons and rains due to the onset of La Nina this August.''

In a press conference, PSA Undersecretary Dennis Mapa said the main source of July inflation's acceleration was housing, water, electricity and other fuels sub-indices, especially LPG, that reached 20.2 percent from 14.7 percent in June.

The sub-index for food and non-alcoholic beverages, like fruits and nuts that rose to 8.4 percent from 5.6 percent, meat that increased from 3.1 percent to 4.8 percent.

"The main contributors of this July 2024 inflation(is) power, so we have the electricity, then energy, gas, diesel and gasoline then food and beverages," he said.

Under non-food items, transportation inflation registered 3.6 percent in July 2024, up from 3.1 percent in June. The PSA said this was driven by increasing global petroleum prices.

Housing and utilities inflation are attributed to the rise in international contract prices of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and the increase of Meralco rates in July.

Mapa said because of the recent typhoons there are commodity groups that might increase their prices while others may also slow down based on historical data and the possible effect of tariff cuts in rice.

"Our expectation is that some items might increase but some items might slow down, so overall we will see," he said.

"The reduction on tariff will start so there is a possible substantial reduction on the rice prices this August," he added.

Recto said "the increase of inflation rate this July is just temporary because of the base effect in the price of rice."

Balisacan added that the weather phenomenon is expected to persist until the first quarter of 2025. Robina Asido/DMS