Table A. Year-on-Year Inflation Rates
for the Bottom 30% Income Households, All Items In Percent
(2018=100)

Source: Philippine Statistics Authority, Retail Price Survey of Commodities for the Generation of Consumer Price Index
*Year-on-year change of average CPI for January to March 2025 vs. 2024

Figure 1. Inflation Rates for the Bottom 30% Income Households in Bukidnon, All Items (2018=100)

Source: Philippine Statistics Authority, Retail Price Survey of Selected Commodities for the Generation of Consumer Price Index

A. Bukidnon

1. Overall Inflation

The Province’s inflation rate for the bottom 30% income households increased to 1.3 percent in March 2025 from 1.2 percent in February 2025. In March 2024, the inflation rate was posted at 4.6 percent. (Figure 1, and Tables A, B, and 3)

• Main Drivers to the Upward Trend of the Overall Inflation

The main driver to the upward trend of the overall inflation for this income group in March 2025 was the higher year-on-year growth in the heavily weighted food and non-alcoholic beverages at 0.9 percent from 0.2 percent in the previous month. This was followed by restaurants and accommodation service, which posted a higher annual increase of 1.7 percent during the month from 1.3 percent in February 2025, and alcoholic beverages and tobacco index, which registered a higher annual increase of 1.8 percent in March 2025 from 1.2 percent in the previous month.

Moreover, higher annual rates was noted in the indices of Health with an annual increase of 2.4 percent during the month from 2.3 percent in February 2025

In addition, Information and communication with an annual increase of 0.0 percent during the month from an annual decline of 0.1 percent in February 2025.

On the other hand, lower annual growth rates were observed in the indices of the following commodity groups during the month: 

1. Clothing and footwear, 1.2 percent from 2.2 percent;

2. Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels, 2.1 percent from 1 percent;

3. Furnishings, household equipment and routine household maintenance, 0.4 percent from 0.9 percent; and

4. Transport, 3.1 percent from 5.2 percent.

Moreover, a faster annual decrease was noted in the index of recreation, sport and culture at 2.3 percent during the month from 1.6 percent in February 2025.

The indices of the rest of the commodity groups retained their respective previous month’s annual rates. (Tables 3, and 4)

• Main Contributors to Overall Inflation

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

1. Food and non-alcoholic beverages with 39.9 percent share or 0.52 percentage point;
2. Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels with 2 percent share or 0.31 percentage point; and
3. Transport with 5 percent share or 0.21percentage point.

2. Food Inflation

Food inflation for the bottom 30% income households at the provincial level moved at a faster pace of 0.9 percent in March 2025 from 0.2 percent in the previous month. In March 2024, its annual increase was observed at 7.9 percent. (Table 7)

• Main Drivers to the Upward Trend of Food Inflation

The uptrend in the food inflation was mainly due to the annual growth in fish and other seafood at 3.7 percent during the month from 3.6 percent annual drop in February 2025. Also contributing to the higher food inflation with a faster annual increase were vegetables, tubers, plantains, cooking bananas and pulses at 4.7 percent during the month from 2.1 percent in February 2025, and meat and other parts of slaughtered land animals at 7.8 percent during the month from 6.7 percent in February 2025.

In addition, slower annual decline was noted in the indices of flour, bread and other bakery products, pasta products, and other cereals at 1.8 percent, and oils and fats at 3.9 percent in March 2025 from their respective year-on-year decreases of 3.7 percent and 7.5 percent in February 2025.

Moreover, annual increase was recorded in the index of sugar, confectionery and desserts at 0.4 percent during the month from a 1.8 percent annual decline in February 2025.

On the contrary, slower annual growth rates during the month were observed in the indices of the following food groups:

1. Corn, 7 percent from 11.3 percent;
2. Milk, other dairy products and eggs, 3.9 percent from 4.0 percent; and
3. Fruits and nuts, 12.2 percent from 20.0 percent.

Moreover, a faster annual decrease of 10.5 percent was observed in the rice index during the month from a 9.8 percent year-on-year drop in February 2025.

The index of ready-made food and other food products not elsewhere classified retained its previous month’s annual increase of 0.1 percent. (Table 5)

• Main Contributors to Food Inflation

Food inflation contributed 37.6 percent or 0.49 percentage points to the March 2025 overall inflation of the bottom 30% income households.

Among the food groups, the main contributors to food inflation during the month were the following:

1. Corn with 4 percent share or 1.25 percentage points;
2. Meat and other parts of slaughtered land animals with 0 percent share or 0.82 percentage point; and
3. Fish and other seafood with 6 percent share or 0.54 percentage point.

Table B. Year-on-Year Inflation Rates for the Bottom 30% Income Households in Bukidnon, All Items: January 2020 to March 2025
In Percent (2018=100)

Source: Philippine Statistics Authority, Retail Price Survey of Selected Commodities for the Generation of Consumer Price Index

Note: CPIs and inflation rates for the bottom 30% income households by region are posted at the PSA OpenSTAT portal at https://openstat.psa.gov.ph/PXWeb/pxweb/en/DB/DB 2M PI BIH 2018/?tablelist=true.

(SGD.)ARIEL A. ASPARIN

Supervising Statistical Specialist