The Davao Occidental headline inflation rate for the bottom 30% income households declined further to 2.9 percent in September 2024 from 6.6 percent in August 2024. In September 2023, the inflation rate was higher at 5.5 percent.  (Table A and Figure 1)

The main driver of the downward trend of the overall inflation for this income group in September 2024 was the slower year-on-year growth of the following commodity groups;
a.    Food and non-alcoholic beverages, from 9.3 percent to 3.2 percent;
b.    Transport, from negative 0.5 percent to negative 3.4 percent;
c.    Clothing and footwear, from 4.4 percent to 3.8 percent;
d.    Furnishing, household equipment and routine household maintenance, from 5.3 percent to 4.8 percent;
e.    Alcoholic beverages and tobacco, from 0.1 percent to negative 0.2 percent; and
f.    Health, from 2.8 percent to 2.4 percent.

In contrast, higher annual growth rates were noticed in the following commodity groups;
a.    Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels from negative 1.0 percent to 1.3 percent;
b.    Recreation, sport and culture, from 10.5 percent to 12.8 percent; and
c.    Restaurant and accommodation services, from 16.39 percent to 17.7 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 3.3 percent in September 2024 from 9.6 percent in the previous month. In September 2023, the inflation rate was higher at 10.0 percent.

The downward trend in the food inflation were contributed by the following food groups;
a.    Cereals and cereal products from 19.0 percent to 7.4 percent;
b.    Meat and other parts of slaughtered land animals from 3.7 percent to 2.5 percent;
c.    Fish and other seafood from 4.3 percent to negative 0.4 percent; and
d.    Vegetables, tubers, plantains, cooking bananas and pulses from negative 9.1 percent to negative 13.8 percent.

In contrast, compared with their previous month’s inflation rates, higher annual growth rate was observed in the following commodity groups;
a.    Milk, other dairy products and eggs from 5.6 percent to 7.5 percent; 
b.    Oils and fats from 19.1 percent to 29.9 percent;
c.    Sugar, confectionery and desserts from negative 19.7 percent to negative 15.5 percent; and
d.    Ready-made food and other food products n.e.c. from 8.3 percent to 9.6 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:

MUNRIA L. BANTO
(Supervising Statistical Specialist)
Officer-in-Charge