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

A.    Zamboanga City

1.    Overall Inflation Rate
Headline inflation in Zamboanga City decreased to 3.9 percent in January 2025 from 4.1 percent in December 2024. In January 2024, inflation rate was comparatively lower at 1.9 percent. (Figure 1)

1.1    Main Drivers Behind the Downtrend of the Overall Inflation Rate in Zamboanga City
The main drivers on the downtrend of the overall inflation in January 2025 was primarily driven by the slower annual increment of the commodity group, Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and other Fuels which stood at 8.7 percent from 10.2 percent inflation in 
December 2024. In addition, the decrease in prices in the categories of Health at 3.8 percent from 5.4 percent and Personal Care, and Miscellaneous Goods and Services at 2.2 percent from 2.7 percent also contributed to the deflationary trend of the overall inflation rate in Zamboanga City.
In addition, lower annual increments were also observed in the following commodity groups:
a.    Furnishing, Household Equipment and Routine Household Maintenance, 1.6 percent from 2.4 percent;
b.    Clothing and Footwear, 1.7 percent from 2.0 percent;
c.    Recreation, Sport and Culture, 4.2 percent from 4.8 percent;
d.    Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco, 4.4 percent from 4.5 percent;
On the contrary, the following commodity groups registered higher inflation rates
a.    Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages, 2.6 percent from 2.4 percent
b.    Transport, 0.9 percent from (0.2) percent

Meanwhile, the following commodity groups retained their previous month’s inflation rates:
a.    Information and Communication, 1.1 percent;
b.    Education Services, 5.8 percent;
c.    Restaurants and Accommodation Services, 4.8 percent;
d.    Financial Services, 0.0 percent;

1.2    Main Contributors to the Overall Inflation Rate 
The top three (3) commodity groups contributing to the overall inflation rate in Zamboanga City were the following:
a.    Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels, contributing 46.9 percent share or 1.8 percentage points;
b.    Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages contributing 30.3 percent share or 1.2 percentage points; and,
c.    Restaurants and Accommodation Services 7.9 percent share or 0.3 percentage point

Table B. Year-on- Year Inflation Rates in Zamboanga City, All Items, In percent
January 2021 – January 2025
(2018=100)   

Table C. Year-On-Year Inflation Rates by Commodity Groups in Zamboanga City for all Income Households, 2018=100

2.    Food Inflation

Food inflation in Zamboanga City in January 2025 accelerated to 2.7 percent from                        2.6 percent in December 2024. On the other hand, food inflation in January 20234 was slightly higher at 4.9 percent.

1.1    The Main Drivers Behind the Uptrend of the Food Inflation
The main drivers in the uptrend of food inflation in January 2025 was brought by the faster annual growth rate of the food index of Meat and other parts of slaughtered land animals (ND), which recorded 9.4 percent from 3.7 percent inflation during the previous month. In addition, the increase in prices of the food indices of Fish and other seafood, at 3.0 percent from 2.3 percent inflation and Ready-made food and other products, n.e.c. (ND) at 
4.3 percent from 2.0 percent also contributed to the higher food inflation. 
In contrast, lower year-on-year growth rates were observed in the following food commodities:
a.  Corn, (2.2) percent from 1.0 percent;
b.  Cereals and cereal products (ND), (2.5) percent from (1.0) percent;
c.   Milk, and other dairy products and eggs (ND), 1.1 percent from 3.1 percent
d.    Vegetables, tubers, plantains, cooking bananas and pulses (ND), 2.4 percent from 3.0 percent;
e.    Fruits and Nuts, 25.1 percent from 32.3 percent;
f.   Flour, Bread and Other Bakery Products, Pasta Products, and Other Cereals, 4.4 percent
    from 5.5 percent
g.   Rice, (5.0) percent from (3.3) percent
h.   Cereals, (5.0) percent from (3.3) percent

1.2    Main Contributors to the Food Inflation

Food inflation shared 29.6 percent or 1.1 percentage points to the overall inflation in December 2024. The top three (3) food groups that contributed to the acceleration of food inflation during the month were the following: 
a.    Meat and other parts of slaughtered land animals (ND), with a share of 16.4 percent or 0.6 percentage points;
b.    Fruits and nuts, contributing 11.2 percent share or 0.4 percentage point; and,
c.    Fish and other seafood (ND), with 7.8 percent share or 0.3 percentage point
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/mgcn