A. General Santos City

1. Overall Inflation

General Santos City’s inflation rate for the bottom 30% income households slowed down to 0.8 percent in January 2025 from 1.0 percent in December 2024.  In January 2024, the city’s inflation rate was higher at 4.0 percent. (Figure 1, Tables A and B)

1.1 Main Drivers to the Downward Trend of the Overall Inflation (Table B)

The downtrend in General Santos City’s inflation for the bottom 30% income households in January 2025 was primarily brought about by the lower year-on-year growth rates in housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels at 0.2 percent from 1.5 percent in the previous month. The index of restaurants and accommodation services showed an annual decline of 0.9 percent during the month from zero inflation in the previous month. Furnishings, household equipment and routine household maintenance also posted an annual decline of 0.2 percent in January 2025 from a 0.1 percent annual decrement in the previous month.

On the contrary, higher annual rates were observed in the indices of the following commodity groups during the month:

a) Alcoholic beverages and tobacco, 2.9 percent from 2.4 percent;
b) Clothing and footwear, 1.2 percent from 0.9 percent; and
c) Recreation, sport and culture, 3.0 percent from 2.2 percent.

Meanwhile, transport recorded a 0.1 percent inflation rate in January 2025 from an annual decrease of 0.2 percent in December 2024.

The rest of the commodity groups maintained their previous month’s inflation rates as follows:

a) Food and non-alcoholic beverages, at 1.0 percent
b) Health, at 0.1 percent;
c) Information and communication, at zero inflation;
d) Education services, at 8.6 percent;
e) Financial Services, at zero inflation; and
f) Personal care and miscellaneous goods and services, at 1.5 percent.

1.2 Main Contributors to the Overall Inflation

The top three commodity groups contributing to the January 2025 overall inflation for the bottom 30% income households were the following:

a. Food and non-alcoholic beverages with 66.9 percent share or 0.5 percentage point; and
b. Education services with 11.3 percent share or 0.1 percentage point; and
c. Alcoholic beverages and tobacco with 10.5 percent share or 0.1 percentage point.

2. Food Inflation

Food inflation for the bottom 30% income households in General Santos City accelerated to 0.9 percent in January 2025 from 0.8 percent in the previous month. In January 2024, the city’s food inflation was higher at 5.7 percent.

2.1 Main Drivers to the Upward Trend of the Food Inflation (Table C)

The city’s acceleration of food inflation for the bottom 30% income households in January 2025 was due to the faster inflation rate in the index of vegetables, tubers, plantains, cooking bananas and pulses with 7.5 percent inflation from 1.0 percent in the previous month. This was followed by meat and other parts of slaughtered land animals with 6.7 percent inflation during the month from 2.3 percent in December 2024. Higher annual increase was also noted in milk, other dairy products and eggs at 5.7 percent in January 2025 from 2.1 percent in the previous month. The index of flour, bread and other bakery products, pasta products, and other cereals also posted an annual increase of 0.9 percent during the month from 0.6 percent in December 2024.

The index of oils and fats recorded an annual decline of 1.6 percent during the month from a 1.7 percent annual decrement in December 2024.

In contrast, lower inflation rates during the month were recorded in the indices of the following:

a) Corn, 3.9 percent from 8.4 percent;
b) Fish and other seafood, 1.3 percent from 4.6 percent; 
c) Fruits and nuts, 4.0 percent from 6.5 percent; and
d) Ready-made food and other food products n.e.c., 4.4 percent from 5.6 percent.

Moreover, the index of rice showed a faster year-on-year decline of 4.2 percent in January 2025 from an annual decrease of 3.0 percent in the previous month. Sugar, confectionery and desserts posted a slower annual decline of 3.5 percent during the month from a 3.4 percent annual decrement in December 2024.

2.2 Main Contributors to the Food Inflation

Food inflation shared 57.9 percent or 0.5 percentage point to the January 2025 overall inflation for this particular income group. The top three food groups in terms of contribution to the food inflation during the month were the following:

a. Meat and other parts of slaughtered land animals with 123.0 percent share or 1.1 percentage points;
b. Vegetables, tubers, plantains, cooking bananas and pulses with 99.1 percent share or 0.9 percentage point; and
c. Milk, other dairy products and eggs with 82.6 percent share or 0.7 percentage point.