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

Zamboanga City

Headline inflation in Zamboanga City slowed down to 6.3 percent in March 2023, from 
7.4 percent in February 2023. Inflation rate in March 2022 was lower at 
2.3 percent only. The average inflation for the first quarter in 2023 stood at 6.9 percent. (Table A and Figure 1).

The downtrend on the overall inflation in March 2023 was primarily due to the slower increase in the commodity group of Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and other Fuels recorded at 5.6 percent from 10.0 percent in the previous month. This commodity group also ranked first in the share to Inflation trend. Another primary driver to the downtrend inflation was Transport recorded at 6.5 percent from 10.3 percent in February 2023 which ranked second in the share to Inflation trend. The commodity group Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco was the third primary driver in the deceleration of inflation this March 2023 with an inflation rate of 9.8 percent from 10.8 percent in the previous month.

Other commodity groups that contributed to the downtrend inflation in March 2023 in Zamboanga City were Health at 3.7 percent from 4.3 percent, Furnishings, Household Equipment and Routine Household Maintenance at 5.9 percent from 6.4 percent, and Recreation, Sports, and Culture at 3.2 percent from 4.9 percent.

On the contrary, higher inflation rates were observed in the following commodity groups:
a. Food and Non Alcoholic Beverages, 7.7 percent
b. Clothing and Footwear, 2.7 percent
c. Restaurants and Accommodation Services, 5.8 percent
d. Personal Care, and Miscellaneous Goods and Services, 3.5 percent

Meanwhile, the indices for Information and Communication at 0.4 percent, Education Services at 6.1 percent and Financial Services at 0.0 percent have retained their previous month’s inflation rate.

Table B. Year-on- Year Inflation Rates in Zamboanga City, All Items
In Percent
January 2019 – March 2023
(2018=100)

Table C. Major Contributor to the Year-On-Year Inflation in 

Zamboanga City for all Income Households, 2018=100

Food inflation in Zamboanga City accelerated further to 8.3 percent during this month from 7.9 percent in February 2023. In March 2022, food inflation was recorded at 
1.0 percent only.

The primary driver in the uptrend of food inflation this month was the higher annual growth in the index of Fish and other Seafood at 7.1 percent from 3.9 percent. This was followed by Rice at 4.1 percent from 2.1 percent and Ready-made food and other food products n.e.c.at 11.1 percent from 8.9 percent.

The following food groups were also observed higher increments during the month:
a. Flour, Bread And Other Bakery Products, Pasta Products, and Other Cereals, 6.9 percent
b. Milk, other dairy products and eggs, 6.5 percent
c. Sugar, confectionery and desserts, 26.6 percent
d. Cereals and cereal products, 4.9 percent
e. Cereals, 4.1 percent

Lower inflation rates were also recorded this month in the indices of following food groups:
a. Meat and other parts of slaughtered land animals, 8.0 percent
b. Oils and Fats, 3.6 percent
c. Fruits and Nuts, 7.9 percent
d. Vegetables, tubers, plantains, cooking bananas and pulses, 16.7 percent

Meanwhile, the food index of Corn recorded at 3.9 percent retained its previous month’s inflation rate.

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

MFET/RMABG/mgcn