The inflation rate (IR) in Biliran Province decreased further to 1.1 percent in January 2025, from 1.9 percent in December 2024. Meanwhile, the inflation rate in January 2024 was higher at 4.9 percent. (Figure 1, Table A and Table B)

The downtrend in the province’s inflation in January 2025 was primarily influenced by food and non-alcoholic beverages with an annual decrease of 0.9 percent from 1.1 percent annual increase in December 2024. Restaurants and accommodation services came in next with 3.6 percent during the month from 4.9 percent in the previous month. Also contributing to the downtrend was recreation, sport and culture with 8.4 percent from 8.8 percent. These commodity groups accounted for 92.7 percent, 6.1 percent, and 0.7 percent share to the downtrend in the inflation rate in the province, respectively.

The personal care, and miscellaneous goods and services also recorded lower inflation rate at 7.0 percent during the month from 7.1 percent in the previous month.

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

a. Alcoholic beverages and tobacco at 2.5 percent from 2.2 percent;
b. Clothing and footwear at 6.4 percent from 6.2 percent;
c. Furnishings, household equipment and routine household maintenance at 6.6 percent from 5.8 percent; and
d. Health at 3.5 percent from 3.4 percent.

Meanwhile, the following commodity group retained their previous month’s respective annual rates (Table A):

a. Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels at 0.3 percent;
b. Information and communication at 2.7 percent; and
c. Education services at 0.0 percent.

The transport group recorded an annual increase of 1.4 percent in January 2025 from an annual decrease of 0.7 percent in December 2024. In addition, financial services recorded zero percent inflation during the month from an annual decrease of 0.1 percent in the previous month.

Food inflation in the province recorded an annual decline of 1.5 percent in January 2025 from 0.7 percent annual increase in December 2024. The deceleration of food inflation rate in January 2025 was mainly influenced by cereals and cereal products with an annual decrease of 6.7 percent during the month from 0.1 percent annual increase in December 2024. This was followed by fish and other seafood with faster annual decline of 4.9 percent during the month from an annual decrease of 2.1 percent in the previous month. Fruits and nuts also contributed to the downtrend with 5.0 percent inflation during the month from 10.2 percent inflation in the previous month.

Rice, the central commodity of Filipinos, exhibited faster annual decrease in its inflation rate at 9.1 percent in January 2025 from an annual decrease of 0.6 percent in December 2024. The flour, bread and other bakery products, pasta products and other cereals also recorded lower inflation rate at 3.0 percent during the month from 3.1 percent in the previous month.

On the contrary, higher annual growth rates during the month were observed in the following food items:

a. Meat and other parts of slaughtered land animals at 4.2 percent from 1.1 percent;
b. Milk, other dairy products and eggs at 4.8 percent from 3.0 percent;
c. Oils and fats at 4.3 percent from 3.3 percent;
d. Vegetables, tubers, plantains, cooking bananas and pulses at 9.0 percent from 0.2 percent;
e. Sugar, confectionery and desserts at 1.3 percent from 0.3 percent; and
f. Ready-made food and other food products not elsewhere classified at 8.9 percent from 7.6 percent.

Meanwhile, only the corn retained its inflation rate from the previous month at an annual decrease of 4.1 percent.

Approved for release:

SGD. RENAVIL V. CUEVA

Chief Statistical Specialist