Table A. Year-on-Year Inflation Rates,
for the Bottom 30% Income Household, All Items
In Percent
(2018=100)
a. Zamboanga City
1. Inflation Rate for the Bottom 30 percent Income Households
Zamboanga City’s inflation rate for the bottom 30 percent income households eased to (0.5) percent in May 2025 from 0.2 percent in April 2025, marking a continued slowdown. This was lower than the 5.6 percent inflation recorded in May 2024. Moreover, the city’s average inflation from January to May 2025 stood at 1.0 percent (Refer to Table A and Figure 1).
1.1 Main Drivers to the Downtrend of the Inflation Rate for the Bottom 30 percent Income
Households
The decrease was primarily driven by the slower annual increase in Food and Non-alcoholic Beverages, which decreased to (2.0) percent in May 2025 from (1.4) percent in the previous month. In addition, the gradual increase in prices within the indices of Housing, Water, Electricity, Gad and Other Fuels at 3.5 percent from 5.4 percent, and Restaurants and Accommodation Services, which stood at 1.1 percent from 1.2 in April 2025, also contributed to the slower trend in the inflation rate for the bottom 30 percent income bracket in the city.
Lower increments were also observed in the following commodity groups:
a. Clothing and Footwear, with 0.7 percent from 0.8 percent inflation;
b. Health at 2.3 percent from 2.4 percent; and,
c. Recreation, Sport and Culture, 5.2 percent from 5.3 percent.
Among the indices, only Furnishings, Household Equipment and Routine Household Maintenance posted a higher annual growth rate, with inflation at 0.0 percent in May 2025 from (0.2) in the preceding month.
Meanwhile, the following commodity groups retained their previous month’s inflation rates:
a. Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco, 0.3 percent;
b. Transport, (2.3) percent;
c. Information and Communication, 0.0 percent;
d. Education Services, 6.1 percent;
e. Financial Services, also at 0.0 percent; and,
f. Personal Care, and Miscellaneous Goods and Services posted 0.8 percent;
Table B. Year-on-year Inflation Rates for the Bottom 30% Income Households
in Zamboanga City, All items in Percent
January 2021 to January 2025
(2018=100)
Table C. Inflation Rate by Commodity Group for the Bottom 30% Income Households in
ZAMBOANGA CITY
2018=100
2. Food Inflation
The monthly Food inflation for the bottom 30% Income Households in Zamboanga City slowed further to (2.2) percent, down from (1.6) percent in April 2025. This was lower than the recorded Food inflation in May 2024, which stood at 6.4 percent inflation.
The primary drivers of the deceleration of food inflation was the lower annual growth rate in the index of Cereals and cereal products at (13.1) percent from (11.4) percent. This was followed by Vegetables, tubers, plantains, cooking bananas and pulses, which posted 0.1 percent from 6.0 percent, and Fruits and nuts at 23.6 percent from 26.9 percent.
Slower annual increases were also observed in the following food commodities:
a. Meat and other parts of slaughtered land animals, which stood at 5.1 percent from 5.9 percent; and,
b. Oils and fats, with 0.4 percent in May 2025 from 1.4 percent in the prior month.
Meanwhile, higher year-on-year growth rates were recorded within the food indices of:
a. Fish and other seafood, 3.3 percent from 1.9 percent;
b. Milk, other dairy products and eggs, 10.3 percent from 3.7 percent inflation in April 2025;
c. Sugar, confectionery and desserts, which posted 4.6 percent from 3.9 percent; and,
d. Ready-made food and other food products n.e.c., 3.0 percent from 1.7 percent.
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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
GBS/MGCN/kxbl
