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 (1.7) percent in April 2025 from (0.9) March 2025. This brings the region’s average inflation from January to April 2025 to 0.1 percent. In April 2024, inflation rate posted 6.9 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 (4.3) percent inflation in April 2025 from (2.8) percent in March 2025, Transport at (2.1) percent from (1.7) percent in the previous month and Personal care, and miscellaneous goods and services, 2.1 percent from 2.5 percent in the previous month.

Additionally, lower inflation rates were observed in the following commodity groups:

1)    Clothing and footwear, 1.1 percent from1.3 percent; and
2)    Restaurants and accommodation services, 3.9 percent from 4.1 percent.

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

1)    Alcoholic beverages and tobacco, 4.5 percent from 4.4 percent;
2)    Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels, 4.4 percent from 3.3 percent; and
3)    Health, 5.2 percent from 3.5 percent.

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

1)    Furnishings, household equipment and routine household maintenance, 1.6 percent;
2)    Information and communication, 0.1 percent;
3)    Education services, 4.9 percent;
4)    Financial services, 0.0 percent; and
5)    Recreation, sport and culture, 3.7 percent.

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

The following commodity groups were the top two contributors to the April 2025 overall inflation for the bottom 30% income households:

1) Food and Non-alcoholic Beverages, 161.9 percent share or (2.75) percentage point; and
2) Transport, 7.3 percent share or (0.12) percentage point;
 

Table B. Year-on-year Inflation Rates for the Bottom 30% Income Households 
in Zamboanga Peninsula, All items in Percent
January 2020- April 2025
(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 (4.8) percent in April 2025 from (3.3) percent in March 2025. Meanwhile, the food inflation in April 2024 was higher at 10.2 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 (14.7) percent from (13.1) percent. Moreover, the categories of Fish and other seafood (ND) and Vegetables, tubers, plantains, cooking bananas and pulses (ND) also contributed to the downtrend which stood at 2.3 percent from 3.9 percent, and 1.9 percent from 5.5 percent, respectively.

In addition, the following food groups were observed to have lower increments during the month:

1)    Oils and Fats (ND), (2.9) percent from (2.1) percent;
2)    Fruits and nuts, 10.5 percent from 12.8 percent;
3)    Ready-made food and other food products n.e.c. (ND), 2.7 percent from 4.7 percent; and
4)    Sugar, confectionery and desserts (ND), 0.1 percent from 2.4 percent.

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), 6.2 percent from  5.9 percent; and
2)    Milk, other dairy products and eggs (ND), 6.0 percent from 4.2 percent;

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

Food Inflation contributed 161.9 percent share or (2.75) percentage points to the April 2025 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, 141.1 percent share or (6.77) percentage points; and
2)    Oils and fats (ND), 0.7 percent share or (0.03) percentage point.

Among the provinces in the region, City of Isabela had the highest inflation for the bottom 30% income households with 2.2 percent inflation, followed by City of Zamboanga with 0.2 percent, followed by Zamboanga Sibugay at (0.5) percent, then Zamboanga del Norte with (2.4) percent. Zamboanga del Sur recorded to have the lowest inflation rate at (3.2) 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/RRM/ajdc