INFLATION RATE

The inflation rate (IR) in Biliran Province increased further to 2.3 percent in March 2025 which is higher by 0.7 percentage points than the recorded IR of 1.6 percent in February 2025. In March 2024, the IR was higher at 3.5 percent. (Figure 1)

The provincial IR of 2.3 percent in March 2025 is higher by 0.5 percentage points than the national IR of 1.8 percent and by 1.3 percentage points than the regional IR of 1.0 percent, respectively. (Table A)
 

Among the six (6) provinces and the lone Highly Urbanized City (HUC) in Eastern Visayas, Biliran recorded the second highest inflation rate in March 2025. (Table A)

Among the six (6) provinces and the lone Highly Urbanized City (HUC) in Eastern Visayas, Biliran recorded the second highest inflation rate in March 2025. (Table A)

In March 2025, the province recorded an IR of 2.3 percent for all income households. This refers to All Items or the provincial market basket which represents the goods and services commonly purchased by households in Biliran. (Table A)

The uptrend in the province’s inflation in March 2025 was primarily influenced by housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels group with faster annual increase of 5.8 percent in March 2025 from 2.1 percent in February 2025. Also contributing to the uptrend was the faster year-on-year increase in the food and non-alcoholic beverages group at 0.5 percent during the month from 0.1 percent IR in the previous month. These commodity groups accounted for 75.8 percent and 24.2 percent share to the uptrend in the inflation rate in the province, respectively.

On the other hand, lower year-on-year price movements in March 2025 were observed in the following commodity groups:

a. Alcoholic beverages and tobacco at 2.4 percent from 2.5 percent;
b. Furnishings, household equipment and routine household maintenance at 6.2 percent from 6.4 percent;
c. Health at 3.3 percent from 3.4 percent;
d. Transport at 0.5 percent from 0.8 percent;
e. Information and communication at 2.5 percent from 2.7 percent;
f. Recreation, sport and culture at 6.9 percent from 7.7 percent;
g. Restaurants and accommodation services at 2.7 percent from 2.9 percent; and
h. Personal care, and miscellaneous goods and services at 6.3 percent from 6.5 percent.

Meanwhile, the rest of the commodity group retained their respective previous month’s annual rates. (Table 1)

Food inflation in the province recorded a zero percent inflation in March 2025 from an annual decline of 0.4 percent in February 2025. The acceleration of food inflation rate in March 2025 was mainly influenced by fish and other seafood with annual increase of 2.9 percent during the month from an annual decrease of 0.8 percent in the previous month. This was followed by meat and other parts of slaughtered land animals with higher IR of 13.4 percent during the month from 8.2 percent IR in the previous month. Vegetables, tubers, plantains, cooking bananas and pulses also contributed to the trend with 18.3 percent from 8.5 percent. (Table 1)

In addition, higher increase in the inflation rate were observed in the following food items:

a. Flour, bread and other bakery products, pasta products, and other cereals at 2.9 percent from 2.8 percent;
b. Milk, other dairy products and eggs at 4.7 percent from 4.3 percent;
c. Oils and fats at 4.0 percent from 3.3 percent;
d. Sugar, confectionery and desserts at 0.4 percent from 0.1 percent; and
e. Ready-made food and other food products not elsewhere classified (n.e.c.) at 9.5 percent from 9.3 percent.

Rice, the central commodity of Filipinos, exhibited faster annual decrease in its IR at 15.1 percent in March 2025 from an annual decrease of 10.3 percent in February 2025. The corn also recorded a faster annual decline of 6.3 percent from an annual decrease of 5.2 percent.

The non-food category in general recorded faster growth of 4.1 percent during the month from 3.2 percent in the previous month. (Table 1)

CONSUMER PRICE INDEX

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) in March 2025 was recorded at 123.7 percent. This implies that the average level of prices of consumer food and services purchased by households in March 2025 was higher by 23.7 percent compared with the prices in 2018. (Table 2)

Moreover, the provincial CPI in March 2025 is lower by 1.9 percentage points and 4.1 percentage points than the regional and national CPI levels, respectively. (Table A)

Nine (9) of the 13 commodity groups observed increase in its CPI levels in March 2025. These groups are food and non-alcoholic beverages; alcoholic beverages and tobacco; clothing and footwear; housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels; furnishings, household equipment and routine household maintenance; health; information and communication; recreation, sport and culture; personal care, and miscellaneous goods and services.

On the other hand, only the transport group exhibited decrease in its CPI levels at 129.4 percent in March 2025 from 129.8 percent in February 2025.

On the other hand, only the transport group exhibited decrease in its CPI levels at 129.4 percent in March 2025 from 129.8 percent in February 2025.

By commodity group, the financial services still posted the highest CPI level at 162.2 percent. This was followed by the transport group and the food and non-alcoholic beverages group with CPI levels of 129.4 percent and 126.9 percent, respectively. On the other hand, the information and communication group recorded the least CPI with 107.0 percent. (Table 2)

In general, food index retained its CPI level from the previous month at 126.5 percent.

During the month, the following food items observed higher CPI levels:

a. Flour, bread and other bakery products, pasta products and other cereals at 120.4 percent from 119.7 percent;
b. Meat and other parts of slaughtered land animals at 154.8 percent from 149.4 percent;
c. Fish and other seafood at 132.3 percent from 128.5 percent;
d. Milk, other dairy products and eggs at 125.4 percent from 124.8 percent;
e. Oils and fats at 127.3 percent from 126.5 percent;
f. Fruits and nuts at 150.4 percent from 149.6 percent; and
g. Ready-made food and other food products n.e.c. at 135.7 percent from 134.7 percent.

In contrast, rice observed lower CPI level at 105.4  percent in March 2025 from 110.0 percent in February 2025. Moreover, lower CPI levels were also observed in vegetables, tubers, plantains, cooking bananas and pulses at 141.8 percent and in sugar, confectionery and desserts at 143.5 percent from its CPI levels of 143.8 percent and 144.0 percent, respectively.

Meanwhile, only the corn retained its CPI level from the previous month at 124.4 percent.

The non-food category recorded higher CPI level at 120.8 percent in March 2025 from 120.5 percent in February 2025. (Table 2)

PURCHASING POWER OF PESO (PPP)

The price changes reflected in the CPI caused the value of the national currency in Biliran to have a value of Php 0.81. This PPP implies that the goods and services worth Php 1.00 in 2018 is now worth Php 0.81 in March 2025 or you will need Php 123.7 to buy the same goods and services worth Php 100.00 in 2018. (Table A and Figure 2)

Approved for release:

SGD. RENAVIL V. CUEVA

Chief Statistical Specialist

^MMOCM/PDP

<sup>Annexes:
1. Table 1. Inflation Rate by Commodity Group, Biliran: February to March 2025 and March 2024 (2018=100)
2. Table 2. Consumer Price Index by Commodity Group, Biliran: February to March 2025 and March 2024 (2018=100)
3. Technical Notes</sup>