A. Sarangani Province

1. Overall Inflation

The province’s inflation rate for the bottom 30% income households further declined to 1.1 percent in January 2025 from -0.9 percent in December 2024. In January 2024, inflation rate was higher at 6.1 percent. (Figure 1, Tables A and B)

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

The downtrend in the overall inflation for this income group in January 2025 was brought about by the faster year-on-year decline in food and non-alcoholic beverages at 3.3 percent from 2.8 percent in the previous month. This was followed by housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels with -0.1 percent inflation from 0.6 percent in December 2024.  Also, information and communication contributed to the downtrend with zero inflation in January 2025 from 0.4 percent inflation in the previous month. Moreover, clothing and footwear also posted a slower annual increase during the month at 1.4 percent inflation from 1.5 percent in December 2024.

On the contrary, the following commodity groups showed higher annual growth rates for the bottom 30% income households during the month:

a) Alcoholic beverages and tobacco, 5.4 percent from 3.4 percent;
b) Furnishings, household equipment and routine household maintenance, 1.2 percent from 0.7 percent;
c) Health, 1.8 percent from 1.7 percent;
d) Transport, 3.1 percent from 2.4 percent; and
e) Personal care and miscellaneous goods and services, 5.3 percent from 4.6 percent.

Furthermore, the following commodity groups maintained their previous month’s inflation rates:

a) Recreation, sport and culture, at 3.8 percent;
b) Education services, at zero inflation;
c) Restaurants and accommodation services, at zero inflation; and
d) Financial services, at zero inflation.
 

1.2 Main Contributor to the Overall Inflation

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

a) Food and non-alcoholic beverages with 159.4 percent share or -1.8 percentage point; and
b) Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels with 1.1 percent share or 0.01 percentage point.

2. Food Inflation

Food inflation for the bottom 30% income households in Sarangani Province posted a further decline of 3.6 percent in January 2025 from 3.2 percent in the previous month. In January 2024, food inflation for the bottom 30% income households in the province was higher at 9.0 percent.

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

The deceleration of food inflation for the bottom 30% income households in January 2025 was due to the faster annual decline in the index of rice of 13.5 percent from an 8.8 percent annual decrement in the previous month. This was followed by fruits and nuts at 2.6 percent inflation during the month from 6.3 percent in December 2024. Fish and other seafood also contributed to the downtrend with 3.2 percent in January 2025 from 4.1 percent in the previous month.

Moreover, lower inflation rate in the city was also registered in the index of milk, other dairy products and eggs at 5.2 percent from 6.2 percent in December 2024. In addition, the index of corn recorded an annual decline of 18.7 percent in January 2025 from a 17.0 percent annual decrement in December 2024. The index of oils and fats also posted an annual decline of 3.0 percent during the month from a 2.7 percent annual decrease in December 2024.

In contrast, the index of ready-made food and other food products not elsewhere classified (n.e.c.) posted a higher annual increase at 4.5 percent in January 2025 from 3.4 percent in December 2024.

Moreover, flour, bread and other bakery products, pasta products, and other cereals posted an annual decline of 1.5 percent in January 2025 from a 3.3 percent annual decrement in December 2024. The index of sugar, confectionery and desserts also recorded an annual decline of 4.0 percent during the month from an annual decrement of 5.3 percent in December 2024.

Meat and other parts of slaughtered land animals was also noted with an inflation rate of 1.7 percent in January 2025 from a 0.3 percent annual decline in the previous month. Vegetables, tubers, plantains, cooking bananas and pulses also registered a 5.2 percent inflation during the month from an annual decrease of 2.4 percent in December 2024.

2.2 Main Contributors to the Food Inflation

Food inflation contributed 168.5 percent or -1.9 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. Cereals and cereal products, which includes rice, corn, flour, bread and other bakery products, pasta products, and other cereals with 140.8 percent share or -5.1 percentage point;
b. Sugar, confectionery and desserts with 2.8 percent share or -0.1 percentage point; and
c. Oils and fats with 0.1 percent share or 0.0 percentage point.