A. General Santos City

1. Overall Inflation

The overall inflation rate for the bottom 30% income households in General Santos City further declined to 1.7 percent in March 2025 from 1.1 percent in February 2025. In March 2024, the city’s inflation rate was higher at 3.9 percent. (Figure 1, Tables A)

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

The downtrend in General Santos City inflation for the bottom 30% income households in March 2025 was primarily brought about by the faster annual decline in food and non-alcoholic beverages at 2.4 percent from 1.1 percent in February 2025. Transport also showed a faster annual decrease at 3.2 percent during the month from 1.5 percent in the previous month.

In contrast, faster annual increment was observed in the following indices:

a.) Alcoholic beverages and tobacco, 1.6 percent from 1.5 percent; and
b.) Personal care and miscellaneous goods and services, 2.1 percent from 1.7 percent.

In addition, the indices of furnishings, household equipment and routine household maintenance posted an annual increase at 0.3 percent in March 2025 from an annual decrease of 0.2 percent in the previous month, and health at 1.2 percent during the month from an annual drop of 0.1 percent in February 2025.

Moreover, slower annual decrement was observed in the index of housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels at 3.1 percent in March 2025 from 3.4 percent in February 2025.

The rest of the commodity groups maintained their respective previous month’s inflation rates as follows:
    
a) Clothing and footwear, at 1.2 percent;
b) Information and communication, at zero inflation;
c) Recreation, sport and culture, at 2.6 percent;
d) Education services, at 8.6 percent;
e) Restaurants and accommodation services, at -0.9 percent; and
f) Financial Services, at zero inflation.

1.2 Main Contributors to the Overall Inflation

The top three commodity groups which contributed to the overall inflation in March 2025 for the bottom 30% income households were the following:

a. Food and non-alcoholic beverages with 69.8 percent share or -1.2 percentage point; and
b. Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels with 27.0 percent share or -0.5 percentage point; and
c. Transport with 17.4 percent share or 0.3 percentage point.

2. Food Inflation

Food inflation for the bottom 30% income households in General Santos City posted a faster annual decline at 2.7 percent in March 2025 from 1.4 percent in the previous month. In March 2024, the city’s food inflation was higher at 5.9 percent.

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

The deceleration of food inflation for the bottom 30% income households in March 2025 was due to faster year-on-year decline in the index of rice at 14.0 percent from 9.5 percent in February 2025. This was followed by the slower annual increment in the indices of meat and other parts of slaughtered land animals at 7.7 percent from 8.8 percent, and fruits and nuts at 4.1 percent during the month from 7.4 percent in the previous month.

In addition, faster annual decrease was observed in the indices of oils and fats at 2.1 percent during the month from 1.7 percent in February 2025, and vegetables, tubers, plantains, cooking bananas and pulses at 1.7 percent in March 2025 from 0.5 percent in the previous month.

Moreover, the index of corn recorded a slower annual increment at 2.9 percent during the month from 3.8 percent in February 2025.

In contrast, faster annual increase was noted in the following indices for this particular income group during the month:

a) Flour, bread and other bakery products, pasta products, and other cereals, 1.1 percent from 1.0 percent;
b) Milk, other dairy products and eggs, 8.2 percent from 6.9 percent; and
c) Ready-made food and other food products n.e.c., 3.5 percent from 3.4 percent.

Furthermore, the index of fish and other seafood registered an annual increment at 1.7 percent in March 2025 from an annual drop of 0.2 percent in the previous month.

Meanwhile, slower annual decrease was noted in the index of sugar, confectionary and desserts at 0.1 percent during the month from 0.6 percent in February 2025.

2.2 Main Contributors to the Food Inflation

Food inflation share was at 75.1 percent or -1.3 percentage point to the March 2025 overall inflation for this particular income group.

The top two food groups in terms of contribution to food inflation during the month were the following:

a. Cereals and cereal products which includes rice, corn, flour, bread and other bakery products, pasta products, and other cereals with 168.4 percent share or -4.6 percentage point; and
b. Vegetables, tubers, plantains, cooking bananas and pulses with 4.5 percent share or -0.1 percentage point.