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 March 2024 slightly accelerated to 3.7 percent from 3.6 percent in the previous month. In March 2023, the headline inflation was higher, at 5.9 percent. (Table A and Figure 1)

The uptrend in the overall inflation in the city was primarily influenced by the higher index for Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels at 9.6 percent inflation rate from 8.1 in February 2024. This was followed by Food and Non-alcoholic beverages at 2.4 percent inflation rate, from 1.6 percent; and Health at 4.0 percent inflation rate, from 3.8 percent in the previous month.

On the other hand, lower growth rates were observed in the following commodities:

     a. Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco, 10.5 percent from 12.4 percent;
     b. Clothing and Footwear, 1.3 percent from 2.4 percent;
     c. Furnishings, Household Equipment and Routing Household Maintenance, 1.8 percent from 2.5 percent;
     d. Transport, -2.5 percent from -1.7 percent;
     e. Recreation Sport and Culture, 4.4 percent from 5.4 percent;
     f. Restaurants and Accommodation Services, 2.6 percent from 3.9 percent, and
     g. Personal Care, and Miscellaneous Goods and Services, 3.9 percent, from 2.6 percent.

Meanwhile, three commodity groups retained their previous month’s inflation rates, namely: Education Services at 0.9 percent; Financial Services at 0.0 percent; and Information and Communication at -0.7 percent.

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

Food index for March 2024 rose to 2.3 percent inflation rate, from 1.5 percent in the previous month. In March 2023, the food index was higher, at 8.4 percent inflation rate, (Table C).

The acceleration of the food inflation for the month was brought about by the higher indices for Vegetables, Tubers, Plantains, Cooking Bananas, and Pulses, at -7.4 percent inflation from -17.7 percent; followed by Meat and Other Parts of Slaughtered Land Animals, posted at 2.9 percent inflation rate, from -0.1 percent in the previous month. Also contributing to the uptrend in the food index is the spike on the commodity group Fruits and Nuts, at 2.7 percent rate from -1.7 percent last month.

On the contrary, lower inflation rates were observed in the following food groups:

     a) Cereals, 17.0 percent from 17.6 percent;
     b) Fish and Other Seafood, -9.2 percent from -4.1 percent;
     c) Milk, other dairy products and egss, 1.0 percent from 2.1 percent; and
     d) Sugar, Confectionery, and Desserts, -5.2 percent from -4.0 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 2021 – March 2024 
(2018=100)

(SGD) MARIA LALAINE M. RODRIGUEZ
Chief Statistical Specialist