Inflation

Sa makausa pa, maghisgot na usab kita’g inflation, tungod kay matud sa Nov. 2 issue sa The Freeman, gisuwat ni Ehda M. Dagooc, “Philippine inflation is poised to breach 8 percent in November as rising wages, higher transport fares and a weakening peso raising the prospect of further interest rate increases by the Bangko Sentral Ng Pilipinas (BSP).”

To an ordinary Pinoy in the streets, unsa man ning inflation? Tubag sa google: “Inflation is a general increase in prices over time, which means your money loses purchasing power and buys you less than it used to.”

Anyway, unsa may mahitabo panahon sa inflation? 1) High demand: When too many people want to buy the same goods and services, and stores do not have enough to go around, prices go up.

Daghan ang mamalit, apan kulang ang baligya (supply and demand), saka gyud ang prisyo.

2) Sa negosyo, ang pagpaumento sa sweldo, ang pagpamalit og mga raw materials, ug ubang mga galastoan, ang costs niini, ilang ipasa nganhi kanatong mmga consumer, pinaagi sa pagpasaka sa mga prisyo;

3) “When an economy has an excess amount of money relative to the goods and services available, individual units of currency become less valuable.” So, kon mas magdaghan ang kwarta in circulation kay sa mga good and services available, mo-minus ang value sa imong kwartra.

Hinuon, kon mag-election man, gumikan sa kalisud sa panahon, daghan ang votes for sale. Ug tungod kay kasagaran sa atong mga politiko, daghan man usab og kwarta, matud sa usa ko ka higala,”happy days are here again.”

Mobaha ang kwarta. Lipay ang tanan. Maayo na lang mabahinan kita gikan sa ilang bahandi ug katigayonan.

Ma-controlled ba ang inflation? Tubag sa google: “Central banks manage inflation—often by adjusting interest rates. Raising interest rates makes borrowing more expensive, which cools down heavy spending and helps bring prices back under control.”

Simple ra kaayo (ambot gihimo ba usab kini sa atong central bank).

Patas-an ang interest rates sa loan, ug kini mominos sa mga paggasto (spending), ug makatabang pagbira-paubos sa mga prisyo, under control.

“October marked the first full month of higher public transport fares; The P60 minimum wage adjustment in Metro Manila, also raised labor costs and the risk of further price increases in labor-intensive services,” nagkanayon si Emilio S. Neri Jr., lead economist sa BPI.

Pipila ka mga factors gihisgutan ni Neri nga naka-trigger pagsaka sa inflation sa nasud, sama sa wage adjustmennts didto sa Metro Manila ug sa pagsaka sa plite sa mga sakyanan sa kadalanan.

Dugang ni Neri, nga “The fading of the Habagat season helped ease supply constraints on rice, meat, fish and vegetables, while reductions in pump prices provided some relief on transportation costs. These gains, however, were outweighed by the pass-through effects of earlier price increases.

Matud dinhi, Neri expects inflation to peak in November, potentially exceeding 8% if current pressures persist; and with the weakening and depreciation of the peso; supply disruptions due to Super El Niño phenomenon, and volatile global oil prices due to the ME crisis.

So, alang kanato, hugtanay sa bakus.