10 March 2025– Guimaras. Inflation for low-income households in Guimaras fell to 1.3% in February 2025, from 4.2% in January, bringing the provincial average inflation for January to February 2025 to 2.7%, reflecting fluctuations throughout the year, based on the latest price data released by the Philippines Statistics Authority (PSA).

“The downtrend in the inflation for low income households in February 2025 was primarily influenced by the decrease of the year-on-year price change in the heavily weighted food and non alcoholic beverages at 1.5 percent during the month, from 4.2 percent in January,” Provincial Statistics Officer Nelida B. Losare said.

“The slow-moving annual price change on transport at -0.7 percent in February 2025 from 2.0 percent in the previous month and housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels at 2.2 percent from 3.0 percent a month ago also contributed to the declining bottom 30% income households’ inflation,” Losare added.

Food and non-alcoholic beverages accounted for 87.8 percent of the downward trend of the said inflation, while transport and housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels spliced 4.7 and 3.2 percent, respectively.

“From January to February 2025, food and non-alcoholic beverages, transport, and housing were mainly pushed by the slow-moving price movement of rice with 5.2 percent inflation from 16.6 rate, Passenger transport by sea and inland waterway with -11.2 percent from 42.4 percent and electricity from all sources (coal, solar, hydro, etc.) with 4.8 percent inflation from 7.8 % inflation,” Losare said.

Moreover, slow-moving inflation trends were noted in restaurants and accommodation services at -8.2 percent in February from -5.9 percent in January 2025; personal care and miscellaneous goods and services at 1.6 percent from 2.4 percent in January 2025; recreation, sport, and culture at 1.2 percent in February from 4.4 percent in the previous month; and furnishings at 1.2 percent in February from 1.3 percent in January 2025.

In contrast, the following were the items with faster inflation in February than in January 2025:

• Alcoholic beverages and tobacco,4.2 percent from 3.9 percent 

• Clothing and footwear, 1.5 percent from 1.4 percent

While the other four (4) commodities retained their previous month’s inflation rate (health: 2.2 percent, information and communication: 5.5 percent, education services: 0.0 percent, and financial services: 0.0 percent).

In February 2025, the largest contributor to the slower inflation for low-income households in Guimaras was food and non-alcoholic beverages at 71.0 percent of the province’s inflation rate, or 0.92 percentage points contribution, primarily driven by a significant 5.2% decrease in rice prices, impacting overall food costs.

Housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels followed closely at 19.8 percent, or 0.26 percentage points contribution to the inflation, with a significant impact from electricity prices across all sources—coal, solar, and hydro—showing an inflation rate of 4.8%.

Lastly, alcoholic beverages and tobacco contributed 12.3 percent, or 0.16 percentage points, to the overall inflation with the decrease largely driven by a remarkable 5.9% inflation rate in spirits and liquors.

Guimaras also recorded a significant drop in low-income households’ inflation among provinces and highly urbanized cities (HUCs) in Western Visayas, falling to 1.3% in February 2025 from 4.2% in January. Next to Antique, with bottom 30% HHs’ inflation plunging to -1.0% from 2.3% the previous month. Iloilo (4.1%), Aklan (1.4%) and Negros Occidental (1.7%) also recorded declines, though less pronounced than Guimaras and Antique. Meanwhile, Capiz (3.9%) showed faster trend during the month.

In the two highly urbanized cities (HUCs), Iloilo City and Bacolod City recorded contrasting trends. Iloilo City noted a sharp decline to 3.9% from 5.4%, while Bacolod City experienced a slight rise to 3.4% from 3.2%.

“The Inflation Rate is the rate of change in the CPI derived by computing the indices relative to the same period in the previous year or month, and currently, Guimaras Province posted a 135.2 CPI, translating that a typical low-income Guimarasnon needs 1,352.00 pesos in February 2025 to purchase a basket of goods and services worth 1000 pesos in 2018," Losare clarified.

Guimaras also recorded the significant drop in low-income households’ inflation among provinces and highly urbanized cities (HUCs) in Western Visayas, falling to 1.3% in February 2025 from 4.2% in January. Next to Antique, which recorded inflation plunged to -1.0% from 2.3% the previous month.

Iloilo (4.1%), Aklan (1.4%) and Negros Occidental (1.7%) also recorded declines, though less pronounced than Guimaras and Antique. Meanwhile, Capiz (3.9%) showed faster trend during the month.

In the two highly urbanized cities (HUCs), Iloilo City and Bacolod City recorded contrasting trends. Iloilo City noted a sharp decline to 3.9% from 5.4%, while Bacolod City experienced a slight rise to 3.4% from 3.2%.

“The Inflation Rate is the rate of change in the CPI derived by computing the indices relative to the same period in the previous year or month, and currently, Guimaras Province posted a 135.2 CPI, translating that a typical low-income Guimarasnon needs 1,352.00 pesos in February 2025 to purchase a basket of goods and services worth 1000 pesos in 2018," Losare clarified.