Summary Inflation Report 
Consumer Price Index for All Income Households 
South Cotabato 
(2018=100)

MARCH 2024

YEAR-ON-YEAR INFLATION RATES

The headline inflation or the annual rate of change on the prices of goods and services in the market basket of South Cotabato decreased to 5.7 percent in March 2024. It was lower by 1.9 percentage points from the same month last year at 7.6 percent and 0.3 percentage points lower from February 2024 at 6.0 percent. South Cotabato’s inflation was higher compared to the regional and the national estimates of 4.4 percent and 3.7 percent, respectively. The province average inflation stood at 5.5 percent (Figure 1).
 

The major contributors to the uptrend in the province’s inflation rate for the month of March 2024 were Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages at 6.9 percent, Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco at 3.5 percent, and Housing, Water, Clothing and Footwear at 2.5 percent.

Lower annual increments were noted in the indices of the following commodity groups:

a.    Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages, from 7.4% to 6.9% 
b.    Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco, from 6.5% to 3.5%
c.    Clothing and Footwear, from 4.4% to 2.5%
d.    Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels, from 12.8% to 12.7%
e.    Furnishings, Household Equipment and Routine Household Maintenance, from 3.4% to 3.1%
f.    Transport, from -0.1% to -0.2%
g.    Information and Communication, from 0.1% to 0.0%
h.    Recreation, Sport and Culture, from 5.5% to 5.1%
i.    Personal Care, and Miscellaneous Goods and Services, from 4.7% to 4.1%

Major commodity group which registered higher inflation is Health, from 2.4% to 2.7%.

The rest of the commodity groups: Education Services (4.7%), Restaurants and Accommodation Services (1.3%) and Financial Services (-0.1%) maintained their previous month’s inflation rates (Table 2). 
 

Meanwhile, inflation for food decreased to 7.2 percent in March 2024 from 7.6 percent in February 2024. In March 2023, food inflation was higher at 9.4 percent (Table 3).

The top three food groups that contributed to the increase in food inflation were Fish and other seafood at -2.2%, Meat and other parts of slaughtered land animals at -3.0% and Milk, other dairy products and eggs at 1.4%.

Approved for Release:

MA. EILEEN A. BERDEPRADO
Chief Statistical Specialist 
OIC- Provincial Statistics Officer
Philippine Statistics Authority - South Cotabato

For inquiries, please contact:

HAZELLE KAYE G. ABARO
Statistical Analyst
Philippine Statistics Authority - South Cotabato 
Telephone Number (083) 877-1905