Table A. Year-on-Year Inflation Rates, 
for the Bottom 30% Income Household, All Items
In Percent
(2018=100)

A.    Zamboanga Peninsula

1.    Inflation Rate for the Bottom 30% Income Households

The inflation rate in Zamboanga Peninsula for the bottom 30% income households decreased further at a rate of 1.9 percent in September 2024 from 4.9 August 2024. This brings the region’s average inflation from January to September 2024 to 5.0 percent. In September 2023, inflation rate posted 7.7 percent. (Table A and Figure 1)

1.1    Main Drivers Behind the Downward Trend in the Inflation Rate for the Bottom 30% Income Households:

This month’s lower inflation rate was primarily influenced by the year-on-year inflation in the indices of Food and Non-alcoholic Beverages which stood at 0.8 percent inflation in September 2024 from 5.3 percent in August 2024, Transport at (3.3) percent from (0.6) percent in the previous month and Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels at 5.8 percent from 6.1 percent in the previous month.

Additionally, lower inflation rates were observed in the following commodity groups:
1)    Health, 3.2 percent from 3.7 percent;
2)    Recreation, sport and culture, 8.6 percent from 9.4 percent;
3)    Education services, 4.9 percent from 7.9 percent; and
4)    Restaurants and accommodation services, 5.3 percent from 5.4 percent.

In contrast, the following commodity groups posted higher annual increments as compared with their previous month’s inflation rates:

1)    Furnishings, household equipment and routine household maintenance, 4.4 percent from 4.1 percent; and
2)    Personal care, and Miscellaneous Goods and Services, 3.5 percent from 3.4 percent.

Moreover, the following commodity groups retained their inflation rates during the month:

1)    Alcoholic beverages and tobacco, 7.8 percent;
2)    Clothing and footwear, 1.0 percent;
3)    Information and communication, 0.4 percent; and
4)    Financial services, (0.2) percent.

2.2 Main Contributors to the Inflation Rates for the Bottom 30% Income Households:

The following commodity groups were the top three contributors to the September 2024 overall inflation for the bottom 30% income households:

1)    Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels, 40.1 percent share or 0.76 percent;
2)    Food and Non-alcoholic Beverages, 26.3 percent share or 0.50 percent; and,
3)    Restaurants and accommodation services, 12.2 percent share or 0.23 percentage point.

Table B. Year-on-year Inflation Rates for the Bottom 30% Income Households 
in Zamboanga Peninsula, All items in Percent
January 2020- September 2024
(2018=100)

Inflation Rate by Commodity Group for the Bottom 30% Income Households in
ZAMBOANGA PENINSULA 2018=100

Food Inflation

The Food inflation for the bottom 30% Income Households in Zamboanga Peninsula decelerated to 0.6 percent in September 2024 from 5.6 percent in August 2024. Meanwhile, the food inflation in September 2023 was higher at 12.5 percent.

2.1 Main Drivers to the Downward Trend of the Food Inflation for the Bottom 30% Income Households

The deceleration in the food inflation was mainly due to the slower increase in the index of Cereals and Cereal Products which posted 1.4 percent from 14.6 percent. Moreover, the categories of Vegetables, tubers, plantains, cooking bananas and pulses (ND) and Ready-made food and other food products n.e.c. (ND) also contributed to contributed to the downtrend which stood at (1.0) percent from 5.6 percent, and 8.5 percent from 11.4 percent, respectively.

In addition, slower increments were also observed in the indices of Sugar, Confectionery and Desserts (ND) at (8.8) percent, and Oils and Fats (ND) with (2.4) percent from their respective inflation rates at (8.3) percent and (1.6) percent in the previous month.

In contrast, the following food groups were observed to have accelerated faster during the month:

1)    Meat and other parts of slaughtered land animals (ND), 3.3 percent from 3.2 percent;
2)    Milk, other dairy products and eggs (ND) with 4.9 percent from 2.5 percent    
3)    Fish and other seafood (ND), (5.3) percent from (10.7) percent; and,
4)    Fruits and Nuts (ND), 16.1 percent from 13.2 percent.

2.2 Main Contributors to the Food Inflation for the Bottom 30% Income Households:

Food Inflation contributed 19.3 percent share or 0.37 percentage points to the September 2024 for the Bottom 30% Income Households. Among the food groups, the main contributors to the food inflation during the month were the following:

1)    Cereals and cereal products, with 106.7 percent share or 0.64 percentage points;
2)    Fruits and nuts (ND) with 77.0 percent share or 0.46 percentage point; and
3)    Milk, other dairy products and eggs (ND) with 46.3 percent share or 0.28 percentage point.

Among the provinces in the region, Zamboanga City had the highest inflation for the bottom 30% income households with 3.3 percent inflation, followed by Zamboanga del Sur and Zamboanga Sibugay at 2.2 percent, then the City of Isabela with 1.2 percent. The Zamboanga del Norte recorded to have the lowest inflation rate at 0.3 percent.

Note: CPIs and inflation rates for the bottom 30% income households by region and by province and selected city are posted at the PSA website (http://openstat.psa.gov.ph/).

MEWCHUN WS. PAMARAN
Regional Director

MFET/ajdc