Table A. Year-on-Year Inflation Rates for Zamboanga Peninsula and Zamboanga City, All Items
In Percent   
(2018=100)

Zamboanga City

Headline inflation in Zamboanga City increased to 3.5 percent in 
August 2023 from 2.3 percent in July 2023. In August 2022, inflation rate was slightly higher at 7.4 percent. The year-to-date average inflation rate from January 2023 to August 2023 was recorded at 4.8 percent. (Table A and Figure 1).

The uptrend on the overall inflation in August 2023 was primarily due to the annual increase in the indices of Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages with inflation rate recorded at 
6.3 percent during this month compared from the 3.6 percent noted in the preceding month. This commodity group is considered the top contributor in the uptrend of overall inflation in Zamboanga City for August 2023. Another main driver in the higher inflation this month was Transport recorded at 2.0 percent from -5.3 percent in July 2023. The commodity groups Education Services at 12.6 percent from 6.1 percent in the previous month and Clothing and Footwear at 2.7 percent from 2.4 percent in July 2023 also contributed to the overall uptrend of inflation during this month.

On the contrary, the following commodity groups exhibited lower inflation rates this 
August 2023: 
a.    Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco, 3.6 percent
b.    Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels, -2.7 percent
c.    Furnishing, Household Equipment and Routine Household Maintenance,4.6 percent
d.    Health, 3.3 percent 
e.    Recreation, Sport, and Culture, 2.2 percent
f.    Personal Care, Miscellaneous Goods and Services, 2.3 percent

Meanwhile, the commodity groups Information and Communication 0.4 percent, Restaurants and Accommodation Services, 5.8 percent and Financial Services 0.0 percent retained their respective previous’ month inflation rates.
 

Table B. Year-on- Year Inflation Rates in Zamboanga City, All Items
In Percent
January 2020 – August 2023
(2018=100)

Table C. Year-On-Year Inflation Rates by Commodity Groups in

 Zamboanga City for all Income Households, 2018=100

Food inflation in Zamboanga City for August 2023 accelerated to 6.7 percent from 
3.8 percent in July 2023. In August 2022, food inflation was higher at 8.5 percent.

The main driver in the acceleration of food inflation this month was brought about by the higher annual growth rate of the food index of Rice at 14.4 percent from 5.5 percent in the previous month. Fish and Other Seafood recorded at 4.5 percent this month from 
-0.1 percent in July 2023 and Fruits and Nuts at 3.9 percent from -0.5 percent were observed to contribute to the higher food inflation during this month. Another food index that improved but still negative was Meat and other parts of slaughtered land animals at 
-3.1 percent in August 2023 from -4.1 percent in the previous month.

The other food indices that also contributed in the uptrend of food inflation during this month:
a.    Milk, other dairy products and eggs, 6.0 percent
b.    Vegetables, tubers, plantains, cooking bananas and pulses, 18.4 percent
c.    Corn, 0.3 percent
d.    Cereals, 14.2 percent
e.    Cereals and cereal products, 10.8 percent

In contrast, lower annual growth rates were observed during this month in the food indices of Oil and fats at 0.6 percent from 1.1 percent, Flour, bread and other bakery products, pasta products and other cereals at 3.0 percent from 4.1 percent, Sugar, confectionery and deserts at 9.4 percent from 16.0 percent and lastly Ready-made food and other food products, n.e.c at 6.4 percent from 9.4 percent in July 2023.

Note: CPIs and inflation rates by province and selected city are posted at the PSA website (http://openstat.psa.gov.ph/).

MEWCHUN WS. PAMARAN
Regional Director

CES/RMABG/mgcn