The Davao Occidental headline inflation rate for the bottom 30% income households declined further to negative 3.8 percent in February 2025 from negative 1.2 percent in January 2025. In February 2024, the inflation rate was higher at 7.8 percent.(Table A and Figure 1)

The drivers of the downward trend of the overall inflation for this income group in February 2024 was the slower year-on-year growth of the following commodity groups; 
a. Restaurant and accommodation services, from 24.4 percent to 19.4 percent;
b. Clothing and footwear, from 5.6 percent to 5.2 percent;
c. Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels; from 2.5 percent to negative 0.3 percent;
d. Transport, from 0.9 percent to negative 1.8 percent; and
e. Food and non-alcoholic beverages from negative 4.6 percent to negative 7.7 percent.

In contrast, higher annual growth rates were noticed in the following commodity groups;
a. Furnishing, household equipment and routine household maintenance, from 7.2 percent to 8.1 percent;
b. Health, from 2.7 percent to 4.6 percent; and
c. Alcoholic beverages and tobacco, from 1.5 percent to 1.9 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 negative 8.6 percent in February 2025 from negative 5.3 percent in the previous month. In February 2024, the inflation rate was higher at 13.1 percent.

The deceleration of food inflation in February 2025 of this income group were contributed of the following food groups;
a. Oils and fats, from 81.1 percent to 65.0 percent;
b. Ready-made food and other food products n.e.c., from 10.9 percent to 9.2 percent;
c. Milk, other dairy products and eggs, from 4.9 percent to 4.2 percent;
d. Fish and other seafood, from 2.4 percent to negative 4.3 percent;
e. Rice from negative 12.8 percent to negative 18.7 percent; and
f. Corn from negative 30.5 percent to negative 31.8 percent.

In contrast, compared with their previous month’s inflation rates, higher annual growth rate was observed in the following food groups;
a. Meat and other parts of slaughtered land animals from 7.4 percent to 11.2 percent;
b. Vegetables, tubers, plantains, cooking bananas and pulses from negative 6.7 percent to negative 3.7 percent; and 
c. Sugar, confectionery and desserts from negative 11.3 percent to negative 8.4 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