Table A. Year-on-Year Inflation Rates
for the Bottom 30% Income Households, All Items
In Percent
(2018=100)

A. The Philippines

The country’s inflation rate for the bottom 30% income households slowed down to 1.1 percent in March 2025 from 1.5 percent in February 2025. In March 2024, the inflation rate was posted at 4.6 percent. (Table A)

B. Central Visayas

1. Regional Inflation

In Central Visayas, the inflation rate for the bottom 30% income households in March 2025 remained at 1.7 percent, the same annual growth rate in February 2025. In March 2024, the inflation rate was recorded at 3.3 percent.  (Table A)

C. City of Cebu

1. Headline Inflation

The headline inflation rate for the bottom 30% income households in March 2025 in the City of Cebu remained at 2.3 percent, the same annual growth rate in February 2025. In March 2024, the inflation rate stood at 4.2 percent. (Table A and Figure 1)

1.1 Main Contributors to the Headline Inflation

The top three contributors to the March 2025 overall inflation for the bottom 30% income households in the City of Cebu were as follows:

a. Food and non-alcoholic beverages with 68.2 percent share or 1.6 percentage points;
b. Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels with 26.1 percent share or 0.6 percentage point; and
c. Personal care, and miscellaneous goods and services with 3.7 percent share or 0.1 percentage point.

2. Food Inflation

Food inflation rate for the bottom 30% income households in the City of Cebu posted a faster annual increase at 3.7 percent in March 2025 from 3.3 percent in February 2025. In March 2024, food inflation stood at 6.1 percent. (Table 7)

2.1 Main Drivers to the Uptrend of Food Inflation

The main drivers to the uptrend of food inflation in March 2025 were primarily driven by the faster year-on-year increases in the indices of fish and other seafood at 16.3 percent, and vegetables, tubers, plantains, cooking bananas and pulses at 29.8 percent from their previous month’s respective inflation rates at 8.4 percent and 19.2 percent. Other food groups that posted faster annual increases were meat and other parts of slaughtered land animals at 7.1 percent, and fruits and nuts at 3.4 percent during the month from their respective inflation rates at 6.7 percent and 2.1 percent in the previous month. 

Moreover, faster annual increments were observed during the month in the indices of sugar, confectionery and desserts at 0.7 percent; milk, other dairy products and eggs at 0.7 percent; and oils and fats at 0.1 percent from their respective inflation rates at 3.3 percent, 0.2 percent, and 2.3 percent annual decreases in the previous month. (Table 5)

In contrast, slower annual increments were posted in the indices of corn at 13.6 percent; and ready-made food and other food products not elsewhere classified at 2.4 percent during the month from their previous month’s respective inflation rates at 52.9 percent and 3.4 percent.

The index of rice recorded a faster annual decrease at 6.9 percent in March 2025 from an annual drop of 5.7 percent in February 2025. (Table 5)

Flour, bread and other bakery products, pasta products and other cereals remained its previous month’s inflation rate at 0.9 percent. (Table 5)

2.2 Main Contributors to the Food Inflation

Food inflation contributed 64.2 percent share or 1.5 percentage points to the March 2025 overall inflation for this income group.

Among the food groups, the main contributors to the food inflation during the month were the following:

a. Fish and other seafood with 65.3 percent share or 2.4 percentage points;
b. Meat and other parts of slaughtered land animals with 35.0 percent share or 1.3 percentage points; and
c. Vegetables, tubers, plantains, cooking bananas and pulses with 34.8 percent share or 1.3 percentage points.

Table B. Year-on-Year Inflation Rates for the Bottom 30% Income Households in the City of Cebu, All Items
In Percent
January 2019 – March 2025
(2018=100)

Approved by:

MELCHOR B. BAUTISTA
Chief Statistical Specialist

RYN/KST