Table A. Year-on-Year Inflation Rates, All Items
In Percent
(2018=100)

A.    Zamboanga Peninsula

1)    Headline Inflation

Inflation rate in Zamboanga Peninsula was at 0.0 percent in April 2025 from 0.6 percent in March 2025. This brings the region’s annual inflation from January to April 2025 at 1.2 percent. Inflation rate was higher in April 2024 at 4.7 percent. (Table A and Figure 1)

1.1 Main Drivers to the Downward Trend for the Headline Inflation:

The deceleration in the region’s inflation in April 2025 was primarily influenced by the deceleration in the indices of Food and Non-alcoholic Beverages at (2.0) percent from (0.8) percent, Transport at (3.0) percent from (2.1) percent and Personal care, and miscellaneous goods and services at 1.6 percent from 2.0 percent.

Compared with their previous month’s inflation rates, slower annual increments were noted in the indices of the following commodity groups during the month:

1)    Clothing and footwear, 1.2 percent from 1.3 percent; 
2)    Furnishings, household equipment and routine household maintenance, 2.6 percent from 2.8 percent; and
3)    Recreation, sport and culture, 3.2 percent from 3.7 percent.
In contrast, higher inflation rate during the month was observed in the index of the following:
1)    Alcoholic beverages and tobacco, 4.1 percent from 4.0 percent;
2)    Health, 4.0 percent from 3.6 percent; and
3)    Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels, 3.0 percent from 2.5 percent.

Meanwhile, the following commodity groups retained their previous month’s inflation:

1)    Information and communication at 0.0 percent;
2)    Restaurants and Accommodation Services, 4.1 percent;
3)    Education Services, 4.8 percent; and
4)    Financial Services, 0.0 percent.

Table B. Year-on-year Inflation Rates in Zamboanga Peninsula, All items in Percent
January 2021 to April 2025
(2018=100)

Inflation Rate by Commodity Group for All Income Households in
ZAMBOANGA PENINSULA 2018=100

2. Food Inflation

Food inflation in Zamboanga Peninsula decreased to (2.5) percent in April 2025 from (1.1) percent in the previous month. Meanwhile, food inflation in April 2024 was higher at 8.0 percent.

2.1 Main Drivers behind the downward trend of the Food Inflation.

This month’s downward in the category of Food was mainly due by the slower increase in the annual inflation of Cereal and cereal products (ND) with (12.7) percent from  (10.8) percent, Oils and fats (ND) with (0.5) percent in April 2025 from 0.2 percent in March 2025, and Sugar, confectionery and desserts (ND) at 1.5 percent from                       3.1 percent in the previous month.

Moreover, the following food groups were observed to have lower increments during the month:
1)    Fish and other seafood (ND), 1.3 percent from 2.1 percent;
2)    Fruits and nuts, 14.2 percent from 14.1 percent;
3)    Vegetables, tubers, plantains, cooking bananas and pulses (ND), 7.4 percent from 5.7 percent; and
4)    Sugar, confectionery and desserts (ND), 3.1 percent from 2.0 percent.

On the contrary, faster annual increases were noted in the indices of Meat and other parts of slaughtered land animals (ND) at 5.9 percent from 5.5 percent and Milk, other dairy products (ND) at 5.4 percent from 4.1 percent from previous month.

Among the provinces in the region, Zamboanga Sibugay had the highest inflation at 
5.4 percent, followed by City of Isabela at 2.9 percent, City of Zamboanga at 
1.1 percent and Zamboanga del Norte with (1.0) percent inflation. On the other hand, Zamboanga del Sur recorded the lowest inflation which stood at (1.3) percent inflation.

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/RRM/ajdc