Table A. Year-on-Year Inflation Rates: Philippines, 
MIMAROPA, and the City of Puerto Princesa 
All Items, In Percent 
(2018=100)

City of Puerto Princesa

The headline inflation in the City of Puerto Princesa for December 2023 accelerated to 4.8 percent from 4.3 percent in November 2023. In December 2022, the headline inflation was higher, at 7.9 percent. The average inflation rate for 2023
stood at 4.8 percent, (Table A and Figure 1).

The higher inflation rates in the city is attributed to the higher indices for Transport at 0.7 percent, from -4.7; and Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels at 7.5 percent, from 5.9 percent.

On the contrary, downtrends were observed in the following commodity groups:

     a. Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages, 4.0 percent from 4.5 percent;
     b. Clothing and Footwear, 3.6 percent from 4.1 percent;
     c. Furnishings, Household Equipment and Routine Household Maintenance, 5.7 percent from 5.8 percent;
     d. Health, 3.4 percent from 4.4 percent;
     e. Recreation Sport and Culture, 6.4 percent from 6.5 percent;
     f. Restaurants and Accommodation Services, 6.8 percent from 8.1 percent; and
     g. Personal Care, and Miscellaneous Goods and Services, 4.7 percent, from 4.8 percent.

Meanwhile, Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco; Education Services; Financial Services; and Information and Communication retained their previous months’ annual rates.
 

Table B. Year-on-Year Inflation Rates in the City of Puerto Princesa, 
All Items, In Percent 
(2018=100)

Food inflation in December 2023 further decreased to 3.9 percent from 4.4 percent in the previous month. In December 2022, the food index was higher at 11.8 percent inflation rate, (Table C).

The drivers for the downtrend in food inflation were Vegetables, Tubers, Plantains, Cooking Bananas and Pulses at -8.4 percent, from 2.0 percent in November 2023. This was followed by Rice at 13.7 percent from 14.4 percent.

Furthermore, lower growth rates were also observed in the following commodities:

     a. Milk, Other Dairy Products and Eggs, 6.8 percent, from 7.5 percent;
     b. Flour, Bread and other Bakery Products, Pasta Products and other Cereals, 1.3 percent, from 1.9 percent; and
     c. Sugar, Confectionery, and Desserts, -0.5 percent, from 0.5 percent;

In contrast, higher indices were observed in the following commodity groups:
     a. Corn, 13.4 percent, from 12.8 percent;
     b. Meat and Other Parts of Slaughtered Land Animals -0.1 percent, from -0.3 percent;
     c. Fish and Other Seafood, 4.4 percent, from -0.3 percent;
     d. Oils and Fats -6.6 percent, from -7.2 percent; and
     e. Fruits and Nuts, -0.8 percent, from -1.7 percent; 

Meanwhile, Ready-made Food and Other Food Products n.e.c. retained its previous month’s inflation rate of 2.8 percent.

Table C. Year-on-Year Inflation Rates in City of Puerto Princesa, 
By Food Group, In Percent 
(2018=100)

Table D. Year-on-Year Inflation Rates in City of Puerto Princesa, 
All Items, In Percent 
January 2020 – December 2023 
(2018=100)

(SGD) MARIA LALAINE M. RODRIGUEZ
Chief Statistical Specialist