A. General Santos City

1. Overall Inflation

The overall inflation rate for the bottom 30% income households in General Santos City further declined to 3.2 percent in May 2025 from an annual decrease at 2.8 percent in April 2025. In May 2024, the city’s inflation rate was higher at 5.3 percent. (Figure 1 and Table A)

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 May 2025 was primarily brought about by the faster year-on-year decline in housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels at 5.2 percent from an annual decrease at 0.8 percent in April 2025. This was followed by the slower inflation rates in the indices of personal care and miscellaneous goods and services at 1.8 percent and recreation, sport and culture at 2.6 percent during the month from their respective year-on-year increases at 1.9 percent and 2.7 percent in April 2025.

In contrast, slower annual decrements were observed in the indices of food and non-alcoholic beverages at 4.6 percent and transport at 4.2 percent in May 2025 from their respective annual declines at 5.0 percent and 4.6 percent in the previous month.

Moreover, higher inflation rates were observed in the indices of furnishings, household equipment and routine household maintenance at 0.5 percent and health at 1.7 percent in May 2025 from 0.3 percent and 1.6 percent in April 2025, respectively.

Meanwhile, the rest of the commodity groups maintained their respective previous month’s inflation rates as follows:
    
a) Alcoholic beverages and tobacco, at 1.8 percent;
b) Clothing and footwear, at 1.2 percent;
c) Information and communication, at zero inflation;
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 May 2025 for the bottom 30% income households were the following:

a. Food and non-alcoholic beverages with 70.7 percent share or -2.3 percentage point; and
b. Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels with 24.9 percent share or -0.8 percentage point; and
c. Transport with 12.2 percent share or -0.4 percentage point.

2. Food Inflation

Food inflation for the bottom 30% income households in General Santos City posted a slower annual decline at 5.2 percent in May 2025 from a 5.5 percent annual drop in the previous month. In May 2024, the city’s food inflation was higher at 8.4 percent.

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

The acceleration of food inflation for the bottom 30% income households in May 2025 was due to year-on-year increase in the index of fish and other seafood at 2.7 percent from a 2.0 percent annual decrease in April 2025. This was followed by the annual increment in the index of oils and fats at 1.0 percent during the month from a 1.4 percent annual decrement in April 2025. Also, contributed to the uptrend was the slower annual decline in the index of sugar, confectionary and desserts at 3.6 percent in May 2025 from an annual drop at 3.7 percent in the previous month. The index of flour, bread and other bakery products, pasta products, and other cereals posted a higher inflation rate at 1.5 percent in May 2025 from 1.0 percent in April 2025.

In contrast, annual decreases were recorded in the indices of corn at 2.3 percent, fruits and nuts at 4.7 percent and ready-made food and other food products n.e.c. at 0.4 percent in May 2025 from their respective year-on-year increases at 1.6 percent, 0.1 percent and 1.7 percent during the previous month.

Moreover, slower annual increments were observed in the indices of meat and other parts of slaughtered land animals at 3.8 percent in May 2025 from 5.4 percent during the previous month and milk, other dairy products and eggs at 8.4 percent during the month from 9.1 percent in April 2025.

Furthermore, the index of vegetables, tubers, plantains, cooking bananas and pulses registered a faster annual decrement at 8.5 percent in May 2025 from an annual drop at 7.7 percent in the previous month.

Meanwhile, the index of rice retained its inflation rate at 17.6 percent annual decline.

2.2 Main Contributors to the Food Inflation

Food inflation share was at 75.6 percent or -2.4 percentage point to the May 2025 overall inflation for this particular income group.

The top three 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 112.8 percent share or  -5.9 percentage point;
b. Vegetables, tubers, plantains, cooking bananas and pulses with 12.6 percent share or -0.7 percentage point; and
c. Fruits and nuts with 2.8 percent share or -0.2 percentage point.