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 further increased to 4.1 percent in 
September 2023 from 3.5 percent in August 2023. In September 2022, the inflation rate was slightly higher at 7.2 percent. This makes the year-to-date average inflation rate from January 2023 to September 2023 at 4.7 percent. (Table A and Figure 1).

The uptrend on the overall inflation in September 2023 was primarily due to the annual increase in the indices of Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages with inflation rate recorded at 
8.3 percent during this month compared from the 6.3 percent noted in the preceding month. This commodity group is considered the top contributor in the uptrend of overall inflation in Zamboanga City for September 2023. Another main driver in the higher inflation this month was Education Services recorded at 18.9 percent from the previous month of 12.6 percent.

On the contrary, the following commodity groups exhibited lower inflation rates this 
September 2023: 
a.    Restaurants and Accommodation Services, 5.5 percent
b.    Transport, 1.9 percent 
c.    Furnishing, Household Equipment and Routine Household Maintenance,4.2 percent
d.    Personal Care, Miscellaneous Goods and Services, 2.0 percent 
e.    Health, 2.7 percent
f.    Clothing and Footwear, 2.2 percent
g.    Recreation, Sport and Culture, 1.8 percent
h.    Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels, (4.1) percent

Meanwhile, the commodity groups Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco, 3.6 percent, and Information and Communication, 0.4 percent retained their respective previous’ month inflation rates.

Table B. Year-on- Year Inflation Rates in Zamboanga City, All Items
In Percent
January 2020 – September 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 September 2023 further accelerated to 8.3 percent from 6.3 percent in August 2023. In September 2022, food inflation was slightly higher at 
6.7 percent.

The main driver in the acceleration of food inflation this September 2023 was brought about by the higher annual growth rate of the food index of Rice at 25.8 percent from 14.4 percent in the previous month. Cereals recorded a much higher inflation at 25.5 percent this month from 14.2 percent in August 2023. Cereals and cereal products also exhibited an increase in inflation at 18.5 percent this month from 10.8 percent in the previous month.

The other food indices that also contributed in the uptrend of food inflation during this month:
a.    Corn, 2.9 percent
b.    Meat and other parts of slaughtered land animals, 0.1 percent 
c.    Milk, other dairy products and eggs, 6.7 percent
d.    Fruits and nuts, 4.8 percent

In contrast, lower annual growth rates were observed during this month in the food indices of the following:
a.    Flour, bread and other bakery products, pasta products and other cereals, 2.7 percent
b.    Fish and other seafood, 2.8 percent
c.    Vegetable, tubers, plantains, cooking bananas and pulses, 15.4 percent
d.    Sugar, confectionery and desserts, 7.4 percent
e.    Ready-made-food and other food products n.e.c, 6.1 percent

Meanwhile, the only food commodity remained its previous month inflation rate was Oils and Fats recorded at 0.6 percent.

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/mgcn