The Davao Occidental headline inflation rate for the bottom 30% income households declined to 7.6 percent in July 2024 from 8.9 percent in June 2024. In July 2023, the inflation rate was lower at 2.0 percent. . (Table A and Figure 1)

The main driver of the downward trend of the overall inflation for this income group in July 2024 was the slower year-on-year growth of the following commodity groups;
a. Food and non-alcoholic beverages, from 13.5 percent to 12.0 percent;
b. Furnishing, household equipment and routine household maintenance, from 4.7 percent to 4.5 percent;
c. Transport, from 3.9 percent to 3.8 percent;
d. Alcoholic beverages and tobacco, from 0.6 percent to 0.4 percent; and
e. Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels, from negative 3.9 percent to negative 6.0 percent.

In contrast, higher annual growth rates were noticed in the following commodity groups;
a. Recreation, sport and culture, from 8.5 percent to 9.5 percent;
b. Clothing and footwear, from 4.0 percent to 4.6 percent; and
c. Health, from 1.9 percent to 2.4 percent.

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 declined further to 12.3 percent in July 2024 from 14.0 percent in the previous month. In July 2023, the inflation rate was lower at 2.5 percent.

The downward trend in the food inflation were contributed by the following food groups;
a. Cereals and cereal products from 25.9 percent to 22.8 percent;
b. Oils and fats from 10.2 percent to 10.1 percent;
c. Vegetables, tubers, plantains, cooking bananas and pulses from 1.8 percent to negative 3.1 percent; and
d. Sugar, confectionery and desserts from negative 10.3 percent to negative 18.2 percent.

In contrast, compared with their previous month’s inflation rates, higher annual growth rate was observed in the following commodity groups;
a. Ready-made food and other food products n.e.c. from 5.6 percent to 6.4 percent;
b. Milk, other dairy products and eggs from 4.5 percent to 4.7 percent; and
c. Meat and other parts of slaughtered land animals from negative 0.6 percent to 3.5 percent.

Meanwhile, fish and other seafood retained its inflation rate with the previous month at
7.7 percent. (Table C)

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__2018/?tablelist=true .

APPROVED FOR RELEASE:

JESSIE A. MADULIN
Chief Statistical Specialist