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 remained constant at -2.6 percent in July 2025. It was lower by 7.7 percentage points from the same month last year at 5.1 percent. South Cotabato’s inflation was lower by 1.8 percentage points compared to the national estimate. The year-to-date provincial average inflation stood at -2.2 percent (Table 1).
 

The major contributors in the province’s inflation rate for Bottom 30% households for the month of July 2025 are Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages, with -6.2 percent; and Transport, with -2.8 percent.

Lower annual increments was noted in Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages, from 
-6.1% to -6.2%.

Meanwhile, higher inflation rates were noted in the following commodity groups:
a.    Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco, from 0.9% to 1.1%;
b.    Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels, from 2.0% to 2.2%;
c.    Health, from 2.3% to 3.0%;
d.    Transport, from -3.0% to -2.8%;
e.    Education Services, from 6.2% to 10.6%; and
f.    Personal Care, and Miscellaneous Goods and Services, from 1.1% to 1.2%

Meanwhile, the rest of the commodity groups namely: Clothing and Footwear (0.7%), Furnishings, Household Equipment and Routine Household Maintenance (0.6%), Information and Communication (0.0%), Recreation, Sport and Culture (5.7%), Restaurants and Accommodation Services (4.5%) and Financial Services (0.0%) maintained their previous month’s inflation rates. (Table 2)

Meanwhile, inflation for food decreased to -6.9 percent in July 2025 from -6.7 percent in June 2025. In July 2024, food inflation was higher at 8.5 percent (Table 3).

The top three food groups that contributed to the decreased in food inflation were; Rice, -22.9 percent; Vegetables, tubers, plantains, cooking bananas and pulses, -10.3 percent; and Ready-made food and other food n.e.c. at -4.2%.