Table 1. Year-on-Year Inflation Rates: Philippines, MIMAROPA, and Romblon: All Items in Percent (2018=100)

Source: Philippine Statistics Authority, Retail Price Survey of Commodities

The headline inflation rate of Romblon slowed down further to -1.0 percent in February 2025, compared to the 0.7 percent computed in the previous month. Compared to the previous year, the inflation rate is also lower than the registered 6.3 percent in February 2024.

The inflation trend in February 2025 was primarily brought by the slowing down of the year-on-year growth rate in the indices of the following commodity groups:  
•    Food and Non-alcoholic Beverages, -3.3% (90.1% share to inflation trend) 
•    Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels, 3.4% (4.3% share to inflation trend) 
•    Furnishing, Household Equipment, and Routine Maintenance of the House,    -1.7% (1.2% share to inflation trend) 
•    Health, 0.1% (1.0% share to inflation trend) 
•    Transport, -1.1% (3.3% share to inflation trend) 
•    Information and Communication, 0.0% (01.% share to inflation trend)

On the other hand, the following commodity groups showed acceleration of its year-on-year growth rate: 
•    Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco, 2.0% 
•    Clothing and Footwear, 0.3% 
•    Recreation, Sports and Culture, 3.2% 
•    Personal Care and Miscellaneous Goods and Services, -0.1%

Meanwhile, Education Services (0.0%), Restaurant and Accommodation Services (4.0%), and Financial Services  (0.0%) remained at their previous month’s rate.

In the past 12 months, the highest inflation rate was observed in the month of March 2024 computed at 7.0 percent while the lowest was observed in February 2025 at -1.0 percent (Figure 1).

Figure 1. 1-Year Monthly Inflation Rate of Romblon: March 2024 - February 2025

Source: Philippine Statistics Authority, Retail Price Survey of Commodities

Table 2 shows that the month-on-month price index for all items in the province was computed at -0.5 percent (132.2 to 131.6). It also shows that Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco with 1.6 percent (196.1 to 1199.2), Transportation with 0.1 percent (135.0 to 135.1), and Personal Care and Miscellaneous Goods and Services with 0.1 percent (122.4 to 122.5) were the only commodity groups that registered positive increment with reference to the price situation in the previous month. On the other hand, Food and Non-alcoholic Beverages (-1.0%), and Furnishing, Household Equipment and Routine Maintenance of the House (-0.1%) showed decrease in its average price of commodities. The rest showed no movement in the average month-on-month prices.

The average monthly CPI for all income households in the province in February 2025 was recorded at 131.6, decreased by 1.0 percent from the price level on the same month of the past year (132.9).

Table 2. Consumer Price Index by Commodity Group for All Income Households (2018=100)

Source: Philippine Statistics Authority, Retail Price Survey of Commodities

Meanwhile, Figure 2 shows the Consumer Price Indices of different commodity groups in February 2025. The commodity group of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco registered 199.2, the highest value of the CPI in the province during the period. It was followed by Restaurant and Accommodation Services (151.0) and Furnishing, Household Equipment, and Routine Maintenance of the House (136.5).

Source: Philippine Statistics Authority, Retail Price Survey of Commodities

Purchasing Power of Peso

CPI is further used in the computation of Purchasing Power of Peso (PPP). PPP measures the “true” value of money using a given base year.  

In February 2025, the PPP was calculated to have a value of P0.76 on the average, which means that P1.00 in 2018 is only worth 76 centavos. Also, on the average, an individual needs P131.60, or P31.60 more, to buy the same basket of goods that was worth P100.00 in 2018.

(SGD) JOHNNY F. SOLIS 
Chief Statistical Specialist