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

Zamboanga City

Headline inflation or overall inflation in Zamboanga City continually slowed down further to 3.0 percent this November 2023 from 3.4 percent in October 2023. In November 2022, inflation rate was higher at 8.3 percent. This brings the year-to-date average inflation rate from January 2023 to November 2023 at 4.4 percent. (Table A and Figure 1).

The downtrend on the overall inflation in November 2023 was primarily brought about by the annual decrease in the indices of Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages with inflation rate recorded at 7.7 percent during this month compared from the 8.1 percent noted in the preceding month. This commodity group is considered the top contributor in the downtrend of overall inflation in Zamboanga City for November 2023. Another main contributor in the easing of inflation during this month was Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco recorded at 0.6 percent from the previous month of 0.7 percent.

In addition, the following commodity groups were likewise noted a decrease in inflation rate during this month:

a.    Clothing and Footwear, 1.2 percent
b.    Furnishing, Household Equipment and Routine Household Maintenance, 3.3 percent
c.    Health, 1.0 percent
d.    Transport, (2.3) percent 
e.    Information and Communication, (0.1) percent
f.    Recreation, Sport and Culture, 1.0 percent
g.    Restaurants and Accommodation Services, 0.2 percent
h.    Personal Care, and Miscellaneous Goods and Services, 1.9 percent
The commodity groups of Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and other Fuels and Education Services retained its previous month inflation rates at (3.8) percent and 18.9 percent respectively. Meanwhile, the Financial Services index remained at zero percent annual rate during the month.

Table B. Year-on- Year Inflation Rates in Zamboanga City, All Items
In Percent
January 2020 –November 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 November 2023 further decline to 8.3 percent from 8.8 percent in October 2023. In November 2022, food inflation was lower at 
8.5 percent.

The main driver in the deceleration of food inflation this November 2023 was brought about by the lower annual growth rate of the food index of Vegetable, tubers, plantains, cooking bananas and pulses at 14.9 percent from 17.0 percent in the previous month. Meat and other parts of slaughtered land animals recorded a lower inflation at 0.3 percent this month from 2.5 percent in October 2023. Likewise, Flour, bread and other bakery products, pasta products and other cereals were noted with lower inflation rate at 1.9 percent from the previous month’s 2.1 percent.

The other food indices that contributed in the downtrend of food inflation during this month:
a.    Fish and other seafood, (1.6) percent 
b.    Oils and Fats, 1.9 percent 
c.    Sugar, confectionery and desserts, 2.9 percent
d.    Ready-made-food and other food products n.e.c, 6.0 percent

In contrast, higher year-on-year growth rates were observed in the indices of the following food commodity in November 2023:
a.    Cereals and cereal products,18.5 percent
b.    Cereals, 26.1 percent 
c.    Rice, 26.4 percent
d.    Corn, 9.1 percent
e.    Milk, other dairy products and eggs, 10.6 percent 
f.    Fruits and nuts, 8.1 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

mgcn