Inflation Rates and Economic Problems

I know many here out of Dumaguete (around the Malatapay Markets) are complaining about the price of Vegetables, Meat, Livestock and other goods. Usually my Grocery Shopping at Hypermart is pretty set with what we buy, and I have noticed over maybe the past 6 months or so, our Bill has risen from 10,000php for a Months worth of Groceries to around 13,000php. Makes me wonder how the local people continue to support the President with what is happening when their lives are suffering so much as a direct result of this. I can absorb it, but how the hell does the little guy who works his @ss off for a pittance survive this? Even if it gets better I would bet that prices stay high.

 

There is the reported inflation figure and then the real one - it would be interesting to know what the government puts into its 'basket' to measure inflation. I think most governments ensure that if something is inflating too fast it gets kicked out and replaced with something less harmful to the figures.

And then of course is the 'personal inflation rate' depending on what we buy. It is when inflation heavily affects basic food products that a need arises to help the poorest. For those of us who buy luxury goods or eat out a lot, it is tough luck.

 

In other news, the dollar vs the peso is the highest I have seen since I have been here. That can't be helping inflation. Maybe this is the reason for people complaining about rising prices in restaurants here.

 

And yet the Aussies, Brits, Germans, Canucks and others do not see any difference from what we were getting long ago. So that says more about the US dollar than the peso.

 

When everything else is on the ground and you jump, it is common to say you have gone up rather than everything else is down, but whatever makes you happy is all good.

 

Certainly the USD has been doing very well in recent years - since about 2008 when the global credit crisis started ..... in the US.

The GBP has, of course, been doing especially badly due to the uncertainties over Brexit. But all fights for freedom cost money.