Headline Inflation

Oriental Mindoro’s headline inflation or overall inflation slowed down further to 2.7 percent in April 2025 from 2.8 percent in March 2025. This brings the provincial average inflation rate from January to April 2025 to 3.2 percent. In April 2024, inflation was higher at 3.2 percent. (Tables 1, 2, and Figure 1)

Main Drivers to the Downward Trend of the Headline Inflation

The downward trend in the overall inflation in April 2025 was primarily brought about by the faster year-on-year decrease in the index of transport at 4.0 percent in April 2025 from a 2.2 percent annual drop in the previous month. Also contributed to the downtrend was the slower annual increment in information and communication index at 1.1 percent during the month from 2.4 percent in March 2025.

Moreover, slower annual increases were noted in the indices of recreation, sport and culture at 1.8 percent during the month from 2.4 percent in March 2025, and furnishings, household equipment and routine household maintenance at 0.2 percent in April 2025 from 0.4 percent last month.

On the contrary, higher inflation rates were observed in the following commodity groups during the month:

a. Food and non-alcoholic beverages, 3.2 percent from 3.0 percent;
b. Alcoholic beverages and tobacco, 5.2 percent from 4.8 percent;
c. Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels, 5.1 percent from 5.0 percent; and
d. Health, 2.1 percent from 1.7 percent.

The indices of the rest of the commodity groups retained their respective previous month’s annual growth rates. (Figure 2)

Main Contributors to the April 2025 Headline Inflation

The top three commodity groups contributing to the April 2025 overall inflation of 2.7 percent of the province were the following:

a. Food and non-alcoholic beverages with 49.5 percent share or 1.34 percentage points;
b. Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels with 40.4 percentage share or 1.09 percentage points; and
c. Restaurants and accommodation services, 8.2 percent share, or 0.22 percentage point.

Food Inflation

Food inflation in Oriental Mindoro increased to 3.1 percent in April 2025 from 3.0 percent in the previous month. In April 2024, food inflation was higher at 3.3 percent.

Main Drivers to the Downward Trend of Food Inflation

The acceleration of food inflation in April 2025 was primarily brought about by the slower year-on-year decline in the index of rice at 10.4 percent during the month from a 13.9 percent annual decrease in March 2025. This was followed by the faster annual inflation rates of fruits and nuts at 12.4 percent during the month, from 5.1 percent in March 2025, and vegetables, tubers, plantains, cooking bananas, and pulses at 7.0 percent in April 2025 from 5.9 percent in the previous month.

In addition, faster annual increments were noted during the month in the indices of corn at 3.3 percent, and milk, other dairy products, and eggs at 2.5 percent from their respective year-on-year increases of 1.9 percent and 2.1 percent in March 2025.

INFLATION RATE BY FOOD GROUP

On the other hand, lower annual growth rates during the month were observed in the indices of the following food groups:

a. Flour, bread and other bakery products, pasta products, and other cereals, 1.2 percent from 1.7 percent;
b. Meat and other parts of slaughtered land animals, 16.8 percent from 21.8 percent;
c. Fish and other seafood, 2.5 percent from 4.9 percent;
d. Oils and fats, 9.3 percent from 9.8 percent;
e. Sugar, confectionery and desserts, 0.6 percent from 0.9 percent; and
f. Ready-made food and other food products n.e.c., 3.9 percent from 4.0 percent. (Figure 3)

Purchasing Power of the Peso

The Purchasing Power of Peso (PPP) in Oriental Mindoro remained at Php 0.73 in April 2025.

As a result, the amount of goods that could be presently purchased by consumers was less than when the PPP was higher. Furthermore, the decrease in PPP was attributed to the higher inflation rate, given that PPP and inflation rate have an inverse relationship.

(SGD) CHARLYN ROMERO-CANTOS, PhD
(Chief Administrative Officer)
Officer-in-Charge
Oriental Mindoro Provincial Statistical Office

HTD/JGO

TECHNICAL NOTES

Consumer Price Index is an indicator of the change in the average prices of a fixed basket of goods and services commonly purchased by households relative to a base year.

Market Basket is a sample of goods and services, which is meant to represent the totality of all the goods and services purchased by households relative to a base year.

• To determine the commodities that will form the market basket for the 2018-based CPI, the Survey of Key Informants (SKI) was conducted in March 2021. The survey, which was conducted nationwide to store managers, sellers or proprietors, obtained information on the most commonly purchased of goods and availed of services by the households.

• Base year is a reference period, usually a year, at which the index number is set to 100. It is the reference point of the index number series. The CPI is rebased from base year 2012 to base year 2018.

• Inflation Rate is the annual rate of change or the year-on-year change in the Consumer Price Index (CPI).

• Purchasing Power of Peso is a measure of the real value of the peso in a given period relative to  chosen reference period. It is computed by getting the reciprocal of the CPI and multiplying the result by 100