马尼拉：政府周四（11月5日）表示，受中东冲突推动汽油价格飙升影响，菲律宾10月通胀率升至7.8%，创44个月新高，而该国仍在为贬值的比索苦苦挣扎。
MANILA: Soaring petrol prices driven by the Middle East conflict pushed inflation in the Philippines to a 44-month high of 7.8 per cent in October, the government said Thursday (Nov 5), as the country continues to struggle with a devalued peso.
菲律宾首席统计师丹尼斯·马帕表示，这是自2023年2月记录8.6%以来的最高通胀数字，超过了分析师预测的7.6%。
The latest inflation number was the highest since the 8.6 per cent recorded in February 2023, chief Philippine statistician Dennis Mapa said, topping analysts' forecast of 7.6 per cent.
他在新闻发布会上说：“与9月相比，10月通胀上升的主要原因是交通成本上涨了20%。”
"The main reason for the rise in inflation in October compared to September is the 20 per cent rise in transport costs," he told a news conference.
中东冲突对严重依赖石油进口的菲律宾造成严重冲击，比索也跌至历史低位，推高了通勤者的交通成本，同时也影响了从发电到食品运输的其他成本。
The Middle East conflict has had a harsh impact on the oil import-dependent Philippines, with the peso also diving to record lows, driving up transportation costs for commuters while also affecting other costs from power generation to food transport.
最新数据使今年以来的通胀率达到5.6%，远高于政府2%至4%的目标区间。
The latest figures bring the inflation rate for the year to 5.6 per cent, well above the government target of 2 to 4 per cent.
马帕说：“我们面临着前方的风险，”他提到厄尔尼诺干旱开始影响该国粮食供应，以及能源商品价格上涨。
"There are risks that we face ahead," Mapa said, citing the El Nino dry spell now starting to affect the country's food supply as well as rising energy commodity prices.
通胀数据发布前两周，菲律宾中央银行将关键贷款利率大幅上调50个基点至5.50%。
The inflation data was released two weeks after the central bank raised its key lending rate by a substantial 50 basis points to 5.50 per cent.
央行表示，需要“强有力的货币政策应对不断扩大的价格压力和通胀进一步上行的风险”。
The bank said it needed a "strong monetary policy response to broadening price pressures and further upside risks to inflation".
随着比索上周跌至64比1美元，费迪南德·马科斯总统告诉菲律宾民众“不要恐慌”，并将汇率困境归咎于油价上涨。
As the peso fell to 64 to the dollar last week, President Ferdinand Marcos told Filipinos "don't panic", and blamed the exchange rate woes on the rising prices of oil.
马科斯表示，马尼拉对全球油价“无能为力”，但菲律宾外汇储备处于健康水平，政府拥有“捍卫比索的所有工具”。
While Manila could "do nothing" about global oil prices, Marcos said Philippine foreign exchange reserves were at a healthy level and the government had "all the tools to defend the peso".
通胀上升已影响菲律宾经济增长，今年第二季度经济仅扩张2.3%，为2009年第四季度以来最低增速，不计疫情年份。第三季度国内生产总值增长数据将于周一公布。
Rising inflation has impacted the growth of the Philippine economy, which expanded by a paltry 2.3 per cent in the three months to June, the lowest since the fourth quarter of 2009, excluding the pandemic years. Third-quarter gross domestic product growth data is scheduled to be released on Monday.