Table A. Year-on-Year Inflation Rates for the Bottom 30% Income Households: 
Philippines, MIMAROPA, and Palawan  
All Items, In Percent 
(2018=100)

Palawan’s inflation rate for the bottom 30% income households declined by 0.9 percent in February 2025 from 0.1 percent in January 2025. In February 2024, the inflation rate posted a decline of 0.4 percent. (Table A and Figure 1)

The downtrend in the provincial inflation for the bottom 30% income households in February 2025 was primarily influenced by the lower year-on-year growth in the heavily weighted Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages at a decline of 2.9 percent during the month from 0.7 percent annual decline in January 2025. Likewise, the lower annual increases in the Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco index at 1.3 percent during the month from 1.9 percent in the previous month, and Furnishings, Household Equipment and Routine Household Maintenance index at 2.0 percent in February 2025 from 2.3 percent in the previous month also contributed to the downtrend in the overall inflation of the province.

Moreover, lower inflation rates were noted in the indices of Health at 2.3 percent in February 2025 from 2.5 percent in January 2025 and Recreation, Sport and Culture at 0.8 percent in the current month from 1.0 percent in the previous month.

Table B. Year-on-Year Inflation Rates for the Bottom 30% Income Households  
in Palawan, All Items, In Percent 
(2018=100)

In contrast, higher annual growth rates were noted in the indices of the following commodity groups during the month:
a) Clothing and footwear, 1.3 percent from 0.6 percent;
b) Housing water electricity gas and other fuels, 1.3 percent from -0.2 percent;
c) Transport, 9.9 percent from 0.0 percent;
d) Information and communication, 5.2 percent from -0.1 percent;
e) Restaurants and accommodation services, 6.0 percent from 5.8 percent; and
f) Personal care and miscellaneous goods and services, 2.4 percent from 2.1 percent.

The indices of education services and financial services retained their respective previous month’s annual rates.

Table C. Year-on-Year Inflation Rates for the Bottom 30% Income Households  
in Palawan, By Food Group, In Percent 
(2018=100)

Food inflation for the bottom 30% income households in Palawan registered an annual decline of 3.3 percent in February 2025 from a 1.0 percent annual decline in the previous month. In February 2024, its annual increase was observed at 4.9 percent. (Table C)

The deceleration of food inflation in the province during the month was mainly due to the faster annual decline in the rice index at 13.9 percent from a 5.9 percent annual decline in January 2025. Lower inflation rates were also noted in February 2025 in the indices of fruits and nuts and vegetables, tubers, plantains, cooking bananas and pulses at 2.6 percent and 5.4 percent, respectively, from their corresponding January 2025 inflation rates of 5.9 percent and 5.6 percent.

On the other hand, higher annual increases were noted in the following food groups:
a. Meat and other parts of slaughtered land animals, 11.7 percent from 7.3 percent;
b. Fish and other seafood, 2.0 percent from -1.5 percent;
c. Milk, other dairy products and eggs, 2.0 percent from 0.3 percent;
d. Oils and fats, 13.7 percent from 5.5 percent;
e. Sugar, confectionery and desserts, 2.3 percent from -1.2 percent; and
f. Ready-made food and other food products n.e.c., 2.0 percent from 1.6 percent.

Meanwhile, corn and flour, bread and other bakery products, pasta products and other cereals retained their corresponding previous month’s inflation rate.

Table D. Year-on-Year Inflation Rates for the Bottom 30% Income Households
in Palawan, All Items, In Percent
January 2022 – February 2025
(2018=100)

DONNA MARIE D. MOBE
(Supervising Statistical Specialist)
Officer-In-Charge
Palawan Provincial Statistical Office