1. Headline Inflation

Zamboanga del Sur’s headline inflation or overall inflation further declined to 1.3 percent in April 2025 from an annual decrease of 0.6 percent in March 2025. This brings the province’s average inflation from January to April 2025 to 0.0 percent. In April 2024, the inflation rate was posted at 4.2 percent. (Tables A and B, and Figure 1)

1.1 Main Drivers to the Downtrend of the Headline Inflation

The downtrend in the overall inflation in April 2025 was primarily brought about by the faster year-on-year decline in the index of food and non-alcoholic beverages at 3.4 percent in April 2025 from a 2.5 percent annual drop in the previous month. Also contributing to the downtrend was the slower annual increase in the index of housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels at 1.2 percent during the month from 1.6 percent in March 2025. In addition, faster annual decrease was registered in the index of transport at 3.0 percent in April 2025 from 2.2 percent annual decrease in the previous month.

Moreover, lower annual rates were noted in the indices of the following commodity groups:

a. Clothing and footwear, 1.6 percent from 1.8 percent;
b. Recreation, sport and culture, 3.2 percent from 3.3 percent;
c. Restaurants and accommodation services, 2.2 percent from 2.8 percent; and
d. Personal care, and miscellaneous goods and services, 3.1 percent from 3.4 percent.

In contrast, higher annual increments were noted in the indices of the following commodity groups during the month:

a. Alcoholic beverages and tobacco, 5.6 percent from 5.5 percent;
b. Furnishings, household equipment and routine household maintenance, 4.3 percent from 4.2 percent; and
c. Health, 4.2 percent from 3.9 percent.

The indices of information and communication, education services, and financial services retained their previous month’s annual increment. (Table C)

1.2 Main Contributors to the Headline Inflation

The top three commodity groups contributing to the April 2025 overall inflation were the following:

a. Food and non-alcoholic beverages with 152.2 percent share or -1.98 percentage points;
b. Transport with 14.4 percent share or -0.19 percentage point; and
c. Information and communication with 0.8 percent share or -0.01 percentage point.

2.0 Food Inflation

Food inflation in the province further declined to 3.9 percent in April 2025 from an annual drop of 2.9 percent in the previous month.

2.1 Main Drivers to the Downward Trend of Food Inflation

The deceleration of food inflation in April 2025 was primarily brought about by the faster year-on-year decline in the index of cereals and cereal products at 14.5 percent in April 2025 from an annual decline of 13.4 percent in the previous month. This was followed by the slower inflation rate of fish and other seafood at 2.8 percent during the month from 4.6 percent in March 2025, and vegetables, tubers, plantains, cooking bananas and pulses at 0.6 percent annual decline in April 2025 from 1.8 percent in the previous month.

In addition, lower inflation rates during the month were noted in the following food groups:

a. Oils and fats, -5.2 percent from -4.8 percent;
b. Fruits and nuts, 10.8 percent from 13.2 percent;
c. Sugar, confectionery and desserts, -0.2 percent from 2.1 percent; and 
d. Ready-made food and other food products, -0.2 percent from 1.4 percent.

In contrast, higher annual increases were noted in the following food groups:

a. Meat and other parts of slaughtered land animals, 6.6 percent from 5.8 percent; and 
b. Milk, other dairy products and eggs, 5.8 percent from 3.3 percent.

2.2 Main Contributors to the Food Inflation

Food inflation shared 165.0 percent or -2.14 percentage points to the overall inflation in April 2025. The top three food groups in terms of contribution to food inflation during the month were the following:

a. Cereals and cereal products with 153.2 percent share or -5.98 percentage points;
b. Oils and fats with 1.8 percent share or -0.07 percentage point; and
c. Vegetables, tubers, plantains, cooking bananas and pulses with 1.4 percent share or -0.05 percentage point.

In Zamboanga del Sur, the purchasing power of the peso (PPP) in April 2025 is 0.80. This means that a peso in 2018 is worth 80 centavos in April 2025, or the amount of PhP 100.00 in 2018 is equivalent to PhP 80.00 in April 2025. An additional interpretation is that “You will need PhP 124.30 to purchase the same set of goods and services worth PhP 100.00 in 2018.” (Table E)

DIMNA P. BIENES 
Chief Statistical Specialist