<![CDATA[Inflation is one of the most important macroeconomic indicators, as persistent changes in the general price level can affect economic conditions and household welfare. This study examines whether inflation affects the Human Development Index (HDI) in the Philippines from 2000 to 2023. A quantitative time-series research design was employed, using secondary data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The study uses a single-variable time-series framework to examine the temporal relationship between inflation and HDI within the Philippines while accounting for serial dependence in the data. Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression was used as the baseline model, followed by diagnostic tests and a Generalized Least Squares (GLS) model with an AR(1) error structure to correct for autocorrelation and improve the reliability of the estimates. The findings indicate that inflation has a negative but statistically insignificant effect on HDI (p = 0.2515), explaining only 5.93% of its variation. These findings suggest that inflation alone is insufficient to be considered the primary driver of human development in the Philippines, which is likely influenced by broader economic and structural factors such as access to education, healthcare, and social protection rather than short-term price movements. While maintaining price stability remains economically important, it should be complemented by sustained investments in human capital and social services to support long-term human development. Future research may incorporate additional variables and alternative econometric approaches to capture the multidimensional determinants of human development.]]>
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