Starting February 2022, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) released the rebased Consumer Price Index (CPI) for all income households to base year 2018, from base year 2012 as announced in the press release number 2022-01 dated 04 January 2022. The CPI series for all income households for January 2022 onwards will be 2018-based.

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

A. The Philippines

The Philippines’ headline inflation or overall inflation slowed down further to 1.8 percent in March 2025 from 2.1 percent in the previous month. This brings the national average inflation rate from January to March 2025 to 2.2 percent. The inflation rate in March 2024 was higher at 3.7 percent. (Table A)

B. Central Visayas

1.    Regional Inflation

In Central Visayas, the headline inflation or overall inflation in March 2025 eased to 2.4 percent from 2.5 percent in February 2025. The average inflation rate in Central Visayas from January to March 2025 was posted at 2.5 percent. In March 2024, the inflation rate was higher which stood at 3.2 percent.   (Table A)

C. City of Lapu-Lapu

1. Headline Inflation

Lapu-Lapu City’s headline inflation posted a faster annual growth rate at 2.3 percent in March 2025 from 2.2 percent in February 2025. This brings the city’s average inflation rate from January to March 2025 to 2.4 percent. In March 2024, inflation rate stood at 5.6 percent. (Table A and Figure 1)

1.1    Main Drivers to the Upward Trend of the Headline Inflation

The uptrend of the headline inflation in March 2025 was primarily brought by the faster year-on-year increases of housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels at 4.1 percent, and food and non-alcoholic beverages at 2.7 percent from their respective inflation rates at 3.3 percent, and 2.4 percent in the previous month. In addition, alcoholic beverages and tobacco posted a faster annual increment at 1.8 percent during the month from 1.5 percent in the previous month. (Table 3)

On the contrary, slower year-on-year increments were recorded in the indices of clothing and footwear at 0.3 percent; health at 1.2 percent; recreation, sport and culture at 1.8 percent; and personal care, and miscellaneous goods and services at 2.7 percent during the month from their respective inflation rates at 0.4 percent, 1.5 percent, 2.2 percent, and 2.8 percent in the previous month. 

The transport index posted a faster annual decrease to 1.0 percent during the month from an annual increase of 0.7 percent in the previous month. Restaurants and accommodation services recorded a no price movement in March 2025 from 0.6 percent in the previous month. 

The commodity groups that retained their previous month’s inflation rates were the following:

a. Furnishings, household equipment and routine household maintenance, 6.6 percent;
b. Information and communication, 0.1 percent; and
c. Education services, 1.1 percent.

Financial services posted no price movement during the month.
     
1.2 Main Contributors to the Headline Inflation

The top three commodity groups that contributed to the March 2025 headline inflation were the following:

a. Food and non-alcoholic beverages with 43.2 percent share or 1.0 percentage point;
b. Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels with 42.8 percent share or 1.0 percentage point; and
c. Furnishings, household equipment and household routine maintenance with 7.5 percent share or 0.2 percentage point.

2. Food Inflation

Food inflation in the city posted a faster annual growth rate at 2.6 percent in March 2025 from 2.4 percent in February 2025. In March 2024, food inflation was recorded at 7.3 percent. (Table 7)

2.1 Main Drivers to the Upward Trend of Food Inflation

The main drivers to the uptrend of food inflation in March 2025 were mainly brought by the faster annual increases in the indices of vegetables, tubers, plantains, cooking bananas and pulses at 10.3 percent; fish and other seafood at 11.4 percent; and fruits and nuts at 12.7 percent from their respective inflation rates at 4.4 percent, 9.4 percent, and 6.9 percent in the previous month. (Table 5)
Moreover, faster annual increments were observed in the indices of milk, other dairy products and eggs at 0.6 percent; and oils and fats at 0.1 percent during the month from their respective previous month’s inflation rates at 0.7 percent and 0.2 percent annual decreases. Sugar, confectionery and desserts posted a slower annual decrease at 1.8 percent during the month from an annual drop of 2.0 percent in the previous month. (Table 5)

On the contrary, slower annual increases were observed in the indices of flour, bread and other bakery products, pasta products, and other cereals at 0.4 percent; meat and other parts of slaughtered land animals at 2.7 percent; and ready-made food and other food products not elsewhere classified at 2.9 percent during the month from their respective food inflation rates at 0.6 percent, 2.8 percent, and 3.9 percent in the previous month.

Faster annual decrements were posted in the indices of rice at 5.1 percent; and corn at 2.3 percent during the month from their respective inflation rates at 2.9 percent annual decline, and 5.8 percent annual increase in the previous month.

2.2 Main Contributors to the Food Inflation

Food inflation shared 39.0 percent or 0.9 percentage point to the headline inflation in March 2025. Food groups with highest contribution to food inflation during the month were the following:

a. Fish and other seafood, with 72.4 percent share or 1.9 percentage points;
b. Vegetables, tubers, plantains, cooking bananas and pulses, with 22.3 percent share or 0.6 percentage point; and
c. Meat and other parts of slaughtered land animals, with 21.6 percent share or 0.6    
percentage point.

Table B. Year-on-Year Inflation Rates in the City of Lapu-Lapu, All Items
In Percent
January 2020 – March 2025
(2018=100)

Approved by:

MELCHOR B. BAUTISTA
Chief Statistical Specialist

RYN/KST