The Davao Occidental headline inflation rate for the bottom 30% income households slightly increased further to 8.2 percent in May 2024 from 7.8 percent in May 2024. In May 2023, the inflation rate was lower at 6.2 percent. (Table A and Figure 1)

The main driver of the upward trend of the overall inflation for this income group in May 2024 was the faster year-on-year growth of the following commodity groups;
a. Food and non-alcoholic beverages from 13.6 percent to 14.1 percent;
b. Recreation, sport and culture from 5.3 percent to 8.3 percent;
c. Transport from 6.1 percent to 6.8 percent;
d. Furnishing, household equipment and routine household maintenance from 3.3 percent to 3.6 percent; and
e. Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels from negative 10.5 percent to negative 9.7 percent.

In contrast, lower annual growth rates were noticed in alcoholic beverages and tobacco from 4.0 percent in April 2024 to 1.6 percent inflation in May 2024 and clothing, and footwear with 2.4 percent inflation in May 2024 from 2.8 percent inflation in April 2024.

The indices of the rest of the commodity groups retained their respective previous month’s annual rates. (Tables B)

Food inflation for the bottom 30% income households at the provincial level moved faster pace of 14.5 percent in May 2024 from 14.1 percent in the previous month. In May 2023, its annual increase was observed at 5.9 percent.

The upward trend in the food inflation were contributed by the following food groups;
a. Ready-made food and other food products n.e.c. from 3.2 percent to 4.7 percent;
b. Oils and fats from negative 8.0 percent to 1.9 percent;
c. Vegetables, tubers, plantains, cooking bananas and pulses from negative 2.4 percent to 1.9 percent;
d. Meat and other parts of slaughtered land animals from negative 4.1 percent to negative 1.7 percent; and
e. Sugar, confectionery and desserts from negative 12.2 percent to negative 9.0 percent.

In contrast, compared with their previous month’s inflation rates, lower annual growth rate was observed in the following commodity groups;
a. Cereals and cereal products from 27.4 percent to 26.8 percent;
b. Fish, and other seafood from 10.2 percent to 9.0 percent; and
c. Milk, other dairy products and eggs from 10.3 percent to 8.3 percent.

Note: CPIs and inflation rates for the bottom 30% income households by region and province are posted at the PSA OpenSTAT portal at https://openstat.psa.gov.ph/PXWeb/pxweb/en/DB/DB__2M__PI__BIH__20 18/?tablelist=true .

APPROVED FOR RELEASE:

JESSIE A. MADULIN
Chief Statistical Specialist