The inflation rate at the regional level, for the bottom 30 percent income households decelerated to 2.4 percent in January 2025 or a 0.4 percentage point decrease from the December 2024 inflation. The index was recorded at 4.1 percent in the same reference month of the previous year.  The main contributors to the downtrend of inflation were housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels (1.7 percent inflation), food and non-alcoholic beverages (2.4 percent inflation), and restaurants and accommodation services (6.4 percent inflation).

INFLATION RATE BY COMMODITY GROUP

Moreover, lower annual gains were observed in the inflation rates of the following:
•    Health (2.1% inflation), 
•    Personal Care and Miscellaneous Goods (1.7% inflation), 
•    Furnishings, Household Equipment and Routine Household Maintenance (0.8% inflation), and 
•    Clothing and Footwear (0.8% inflation).

On the other hand, the commodity groups of alcoholic beverages and tobacco (5.4% inflation) and recreation, sport and culture (4.2% inflation) recorded a higher annual increment in January 2025.

Also, transport recorded a -0.1 percent inflation in January 2025, from a positive inflation in previous month.

Additionally, the commodity groups of information and communication and financial services recorded zero percent inflation, from their negative inflation in December 2024.

Meanwhile, the education services (2.7% inflation) retained its previous month’s inflation rate.

INFLATION RATE BY FOOD GROUP

The region’s food index further decelerated to 2.4 percent in January 2025, from 2.7 percent in the previous month, and 3.4 percent in January 2024. Moreover, the downtrend in food inflation were mainly contributed by rice (-0.9 percent inflation), fish and other seafood (-0.6 percent inflation), and meat and other parts of slaughtered land animals (12.5 percent inflation).

Additionally, the following food groups posted lower annual indices in January 2025: 
•    Fruits and Nuts (10.9% inflation)
•    Corn (5.7% inflation)
•    Ready-made Food and Other Food Products (3.7% inflation), and 
•    Flour, Bread and Other Bakery Products, Pasta Products and Other Cereals (1.8% inflation).

Also, milk, other dairy products and eggs recorded a -0.4 percent inflation, from a positive inflation in the previous month.

In contrast, two food groups registered a faster growth in their January 2025 inflation rate.

INFLATION RATE BY PROVINCE

Among the provinces and highly urbanized city in the region, Occidental Mindoro had the highest inflation for the bottom 30 percent income households, with 5.5 percent, while Palawan posted the lowest, with 0.1 percent.

Additionally, the province of Marinduque (2.5% inflation) recorded higher growth in January 2025, compared with their previous month’s inflation rate.

The provinces of Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Romblon and the City of Puerto Princesa showed an ease in their inflation.  Meanwhile, the average price of goods and services in the province of Palawan recorded a 0.1 percent inflation in January 2025, from the -0.6 percent inflation in the previous month.

(SGD) LENI R. RIOFLORIDO
Regional Director

MLLM/OHG/APAR/MTYAD