A. General Santos City
1. Overall Inflation
The headline inflation or overall inflation in General Santos City further declined to 0.5 percent in March 2025 from 0.2 percent in February 2025. In March 2024, the inflation rate was higher at 2.9 percent. (Table A and Figure 1)
1.1 Main Drivers to the Downward Trend of Headline Inflation (Table B)
The downtrend in the overall inflation in March 2025 was primarily brought about by the year-on-year decrement in the index of food and non-alcoholic beverages at 0.3 percent from a 0.5 percent annual increase in February 2025. Transport also contributed to the downtrend with a faster annual decrease at 3.8 percent during the month from 2.0 percent in the previous month.
In contrast, faster annual increment was observed in the indices of the following commodity groups in March 2025:
a. Alcoholic beverages and tobacco, 1.8 percent from 1.6 percent;
b. Furnishings, household equipment and routine household maintenance, 0.2 percent from 0.0 percent;
c. Health, 4.2 percent from 3.4 percent; and
d. Personal care, and miscellaneous goods and services, 1.6 percent from 1.5 percent.
In addition, housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels posted slower annual decrease at 2.6 percent during the month from 3.6 percent in February 2025.
Meanwhile, the following commodity groups maintained their respective previous month’s annual rates:
a. Clothing and footwear, 1.1 percent;
b. Information and communication, at 0.0 percent;
c. Recreation, sport and culture, at 0.9 percent;
d. Education services, at 8.7 percent;
e. Restaurants and accommodation services, at -0.8 percent; and
f. Financial services, at 0.0 percent.
1.2 Main Contributors to the Headline Inflation
The top three commodity groups that contributed to the overall inflation in March 2025 were the following:
a. Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels with 88.2 percent share or -0.4 percentage point; and
b. Transport with 78.3 percent share or -0.4 percentage point; and
c. Food and non-alcoholic beverages with 24.1 percent share or -0.1 percentage point.
2. Food Inflation
Food inflation in General Santos City registered a decline at 0.5 percent in March 2025 from an annual increase at 0.5 percent in February 2025. In March 2024, food inflation was higher at 4.6 percent.
2.1 Main Drivers to the Downward Trend of the Food Inflation (Table C)
The deceleration of food inflation in March 2025 was primarily influenced by the faster year-on-year decrement of rice at 12.5 percent from 8.2 percent in February 2025. This was followed by slower annual increment of meat and other parts of slaughtered land animals at 7.6 percent during the month from 8.8 percent in February 2025. Meanwhile, vegetables, tuber, plantains, cooking bananas and pulses recorded faster annual drop at 2.9 percent in March 2025 from 1.1 percent in February 2025.
In addition, slower annual increase was noted in the indices of the following food groups:
a. Corn, 2.9 percent from 3.8 percent;
b. Oils and fats, 7.3 percent from 7.5 percent; and
c. Fruits and nuts, 4.3 percent from 7.5 percent.
In contrast, faster annual increases were observed in the indices of the following food groups during the month:
a. Flour, bread and other bakery products, pasta products, and other cereals, 1.4 percent from 1.2 percent;
b. Fish and other seafood, 2.7 percent from 0.1 percent;
c. Milk, other dairy products and eggs, 7.5 percent from 6.4 percent; and
d. Ready-made food and other food products n.e.c., 3.4 percent from 3.3 percent.
Moreover, slower annual decrease was registered in the index of sugar, confectionery and desserts at 0.7 percent during the month from 1.0 percent in February 2025.
2.2 Main Contributors to the Food Inflation
Food inflation share was at 39.5 percent or 0.2 percentage point to the March 2025 overall inflation. The top two food groups in terms of contribution to food inflation during the month were the following:
a. Cereals and cereal products, which include rice, corn, flour, bread and other bakery products, pasta products, and other cereals, with a share of 576.9 percent or -2.9 percentage point; and
b. Vegetables, tubers, plantains, cooking bananas and pulses with a share of 41.9 percent or -0.2 percentage point.
The Purchasing Power of Peso (PPP) in General Santos City increased to PhP 0.80 in March 2025. This means that a peso in 2018 is worth 80 centavos in March 2025, or you need PhP 124.70 to purchase the same goods and services that cost PhP 100.00 in 2018.
The PPP is inversely related to inflation rate. Therefore, as the inflation rate decreases, PPP inclines. In General Santos City, PPP has been decreasing on the average of 0.04 annually from 2018 to 2024. By comparison, the PPP in 2024 was 0.79 which implies that the PhP 1.00 in 2018 as the base year, values only PhP 0.79 in 2024. (Figure 2)
