Highlights of the Price Situation in Samar Province (2018=100)
February 2025
 

Release Date: 21 March 2025                            
Reference Number: 202503-0860-004


Samar’s Inflation rate further slows down to 0.1 percent in February 2025

Samar’s inflation rate further decelerated to 0.1 percent in February, down from 0.5 percent in the previous month. This shows a 5.6-percentage point decrease compared to the same month last year. Year-to-date, the province’s inflation rate stands at 0.3 percent, which is 0.9 percentage points lower than the regional average.

Top Three Commodity Groups Driving Samar’s Inflation Increase

The Major Commodity Groups Driving Samar's February 2025 Inflation Rate:
a.    Food and non-alcoholic beverages, which accounted for 97.3 percent share, recorded a negative 0.9 percent inflation rate, lower by 1.9 percent from the previous month. This decrease was driven by the slower increase in cocoa drinks.
b.    Personal care, which accounted for 1.8 percent share, recorded a 1.1 percent inflation rate, lower by 0.2 percent compared to the previous month. This decrease was driven by the slower increase of other appliances, articles, and products for personal care.
c.    Recreation, sport and culture, which contributed 0.5 percent share, recorded a 1.4 percent, lower by 0.2 percent in the previous month. This decrease was primarily driven by the slower increase of prices on pets and products for pets.

Meanwhile, five commodity groups recorded no change in their inflation rate:
1.    Education Services, 7.7 percent;
2.    Furnishings, Household Equipment, and Routine Household Maintenance, 0.7%
3.    Information and Communication, 0.2 percent;
4.    Restaurants and Accommodation Services, 1.0 percent; and
5.    Financial Services, 0.0 percent

On the other hand, four commodity groups recorded an upward trend namely: Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco (6.3%); Transport (3.4%); Clothing and Footwear (0.9%); and Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and other Fuels (-1.1%).

The inflation rate refers to the overall increase in prices over a specific period. It reflects the speed at which prices change between two time periods. Contrary to popular belief, low inflation does not necessarily mean that prices are decreasing; rather, it indicates that prices are still rising but at a slower pace. This rate is derived from the Consumer Price Index (CPI).


Food Inflation
The inflation rate for Food decelerated further to a negative 1.1 percent in February 2025, down from the 0.0 inflation rate in the previous month. Compared to the same month last year, food inflation was recorded at 10.2 percent.

Main Drivers of the Downward Trend in Food Inflation
The downward trend in Food Inflation in February 2025 was primarily driven by a slower inflation rate for vegetables, tubers, plantains, cooking bananas and pulses, from negative 21.7 percent in January 2025 to negative 7.8 percent in February 2025. In addition, the inflation rate of Cereals and Cereal Products, and Sugar, Confectionery and Desserts, and ready-made food and other food products slowed down to negative 6.9 percent, negative 6.7 percent, and 4.2 percent, respectively.

Meanwhile, the following sub-commodity groups showed acceleration in their inflation rates in February 2025 compared to the previous month:
1)    Meat and other Parts of Slaughtered Land Animals, from 0.6 percent to 4.8 percent;
2)    Fish and other Seafood, from 2.5 percent to 3.3 percent;
3)    Milk, Other Dairy Products and Egg, from 0.4 percent to 0.6 percent;
4)    Oils and Fats, from negative 0.6 percent to negative 0.5 percent; and
5)    Fruits and Nuts, from negative 6.9 percent to negative 6.1 percent
 

Consumer Price Index

In February 2025, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) stood at 130.6, marking a 30.6 percent increase in the overall basket of goods since 2018, the base period. This also represents a 0.1 percent rise compared to the same month last year.

 

Purchasing Power of the Peso (PPP) increased at 0.77 in February 2025

The Purchasing Power of the Peso (PPP) in Samar slightly increased to 77 centavos. This means that a peso in 2018 is equivalent  to 77 centavos in February 2025. (Figure 5)

 

Table B. Consumer Price Index for All Income Households 
in Samar by Commodity Group
January 2025 – February 2025
(2018=100)

TECHNICAL NOTES

Base Period – it is a reference period, usually a year, at which the index number is set to 100. It is the reference point of the index number series.

Consumer Price Index – is an indicator of the change in the average retail prices of a fixed basket of goods and services commonly purchased by an average Filipino household. It shows how much on the average, prices of goods and services have increased or decreased from a  particular reference period known as a base year. The formula used in computing the CPI is the weighted arithmetic mean of price relatives, a variant of the Laspeyres formula with fixed base year period weights as shown below:

Headline Inflation – measures changes in the cost of living based on movements in the price of a specified basket of major commodities. It  refers to the annual rate of change or the year-on—year changes in the CPI.

Inflation Rate – refers to the annual rate of change or the year-on-year changes of the CPI expressed in percent. Inflation is interpreted in terms of declining purchasing power of money. Inflation rate is computed as:
 

Market Basket – For CPI purposes, market basket is a term used to refer to a sample of goods and services that are commonly purchased and bought by an average Filipino household.

Price – The amount or value paid in exchange for the commodity or a service rendered.

Purchasing Power of the Peso (PPP) – Shows how much the peso in the base period is worth in the current period. It is computed as the reciprocal of the CPI for the period under review multiplied by 100.

Retail/Consumer Price – Refers to the price at which a commodity is sold in  small quantities for consumption.

Unit of Measure – Refers to which a commodity is customarily traded in the market. The unit of measure is used as the basis for pricing for consistency and to prevent misunderstanding between the price collector and the respondent.

Weight – A value attached to a commodity or group of commodities to indicate the relative importance of that commodity or group of commodities in the market basket