The inflation rate (IR) in Biliran Province increased further to 2.3 percent in March 2025, from 1.6 percent in February 2025. The average IR from January to March 2025 stood at 1.7 percent. Meanwhile, the inflation rate in March 2024 was higher at 3.5 percent. (Figure 1, Table A and Table B)

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 A)

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.

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.

Approved for release:

SGD. RENAVIL V. CUEVA

Chief Statistical Specialist

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