PANGASINAN

1.    Headline Inflation

Inflation rate in the Philippines remained steady at 2.9 percent in January 2025, unchanged from December 2024. This brings the country's average inflation rate for 2025 to 2.9 percent. The inflation rate of the country in January 2024 was posted at 2.8 percent. (Table A)

Similarly, the inflation rate in the Ilocos Region stood at 2.9 percent in January 2025, unchanged from December 2024. This brings the region’s average inflation rate for 2025 to 2.9 percent. The inflation rate of the region in January 2024 was posted at 1.5 percent.

Headline inflation rate in Pangasinan declined to 2.6 percent in January 2025 from 2.8 percent in December 2024. The average inflation in the province for 2025 was recorded at 2.6 percent. Inflation rate in the province in January 2024 was posted at 2.1 percent.

1.1 Main Factors to the Downward Trend of Headline Inflation

The downward trend was mainly caused by the slower year-on-year increase in the index of Clothing and Footwear posted at 5.6 percent in January 2025 from 6.5 percent in December 2024 (Table C). Also contributing to the decreasing inflation rate of the province during the month were:

(a)    Personal Care, and Miscellaneous Goods and Services, 4.5 percent;
(b)    Recreation, Sport and Culture, 2.7 percent;
(c)    Furnishings, Household Equipment and Routine Household Maintenance, 2.6 percent;
(d)    Education Services, 1.7 percent;
(e)    Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco, 1.5 percent;
(f)    Health, 1.4 percent;
(g)    Information and Communication, -0.2 percent; and
(h)    Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels, -2.1 percent.

In contrast, the following commodity groups recorded faster inflation rates during the month:

(a)    Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages, 5.1 percent;
(b)    Restaurants and Accommodation Services, 2.1 percent; and
(c)    Transport, -0.2 percent.

Meanwhile, the inflation rate for the commodity group of Financial Services remained unchanged from the previous month.

2.    Food Inflation

The inflation rate for Food at the provincial level in January 2025 was reported at 5.2 percent from 4.9 percent in December 2024 (Table D). Meanwhile, food inflation was recorded at 5.1 percent in January 2024.

2.1 Main Contributors of the Upward Trend of Food Inflation

The upward trend of food inflation in January 2025 was primarily influenced by the faster year-on-year index of Vegetables, tubers, plantains, cooking bananas and pulses at 37.8 percent from 26.3 percent in December 2024.

Additionally, higher indices were observed in the following food groups during the month:

(a)    Meat and other parts of slaughtered land animals, 6.3 percent; 
(b)    Fruits and nuts, 5.4 percent;
(c)    Fish and other seafood, 5.2 percent; 
(d)    Milk, other dairy products, eggs, 2.0 percent; and
(e)    Sugar, confectionery and desserts, -1.0 percent.

Conversely, the inflation rates for the following food groups reported a decrease during the month:

(a)    Corn, 13.4 percent;
(b)    Ready-made food and other food products, 7.7 percent;
(c)    Flour, Bread and Other Bakery Products, Pasta Products, and Other Cereals, 1.7 percent;
(d)    Oils and fats, -1.0 percent; and
(e)    Rice, -2.4 percent.

EDGAR M. NORBERTE
Chief Statistical Specialist
Pangasinan Provincial Statistical Office