The headline inflation in Laguna slow down to 3.3 percent in January 2025 from 3.4 percent in December 2024. This brings the provincial average inflation from January to July 2024 to 2.7 percent. In July 2023, inflation rate was lower at 2.5 percent. (Table A and Figure 1)

Table A. Year-on-Year Inflation Rates, All Items 
In Percent (2018=100)

Figure 1. Headline Inflation Rates in Laguna,
All Items (2018=100)

The downtrend in the overall inflation in January 2025 was primarily influence by the higher year-on-year increase in the indices of Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas, and Other Fuels at 1.3 percent during the month from 2.5 percent in December 2024. The slower annual growth rate of Personal Care, and Miscellaneous Goods and Services index at 3.0 percent in January 2025 from 3.6 percent in December 2024 also contributed to the downtrend trend of the overall inflation.

Moreover, higher inflation rates during the month were also noted in the indices of Furnishing, Household Equipment and Routine Household at 2.4 percent, Clothing and Footwear at 2.4 percent, and recreation, sport, and culture at 2.1 from their respective inflation rates of 3.2 percent, 2.6 percent, and 2.4 percent in the previous month, respectively.

Table B. Year-on-Year Inflation Rates by Commodity Groups in Laguna
All Items in Percent 
(2018=100)

In contrast, the indices of Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages at 4.7 percent, Health at 4.0 percent, Transport at 3.1 percent and Financial Services at 0.0 percent registered higher inflation rates during the month, compared form their respective inflation rates of 4.1 percent, 3.9 percent, 2.9 percent, and -0.1 percent in the previous month. The indices of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco, Education Services, information and communication, and restaurants and accommodation services retained their respective previous month’s annual rates. (Table B)

The top three commodity groups contributing to the January overall inflation were the following:

     a.  Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas, and Other Fuels with 80.1 percentage share; 
     b.  Personal Care, and Miscellaneous Goods and Services with 8.7 percent share; and 
     c.  Furnishing, Household Equipment and Routine Household with 8.4 percent share.

Table C. Year-on-Year Inflation Rates of Food Items in Laguna
All Items in Percent (2018=100)

FOOD INFLATION

Food inflation at the provincial level rose to 4.0 percent in January 2025 from 3.5 percent in December 2024. In January 2024, food inflation was recorded at 3.3 percent.

The acceleration of food inflation in January 2025 was mainly brought about by the year-on-year increase in Vegetables, Tubers, Cooking Bananas and Pulses index at 21.1 percent from 14.2 percent in the previous month. The indices of meat and other parts of slaughtered land animals, fish and other seafood, Oils and fats, and Sugar, Confectionery and Desserts also contributed to the uptrend with inflation rate of 6.4 percent, 3.3 percent, 2.2 percent, and -2.3 in January 2025 from 4.9 percent, 1.0 percent, 0.9 percent, and -2.7 percent respectively, in
December 2024.

In contrast, the indices of Fruits and Nuts at 6.5 percent, Cereals and Cereal Products at -1.1 percent, Corn at 3.6 percent, Cereals (ND) at -2.0 percent, Rice at -2.3 percent, and flour bread and other bakery products at 1.7 percent registered lower inflation rates during the month, compared from their respective inflation rates of 7.6 percent, 1.3 percent, 5.0 percent, 1.0 percent, 0.8 percent, and 1.8 percent, respectively, in the previous month. Meanwhile, the indices of Milk, Other Dairy Products, and Eggs at 2.4 percent and Ready-Made Food and Other Food Products N.E.C at 4.0 percent retained their respective previous month’s annual rates. (Table C)

The top three classes in terms of contribution to food group inflation during the month were the following;

    a.  Vegetables, tubers, plantains, cooking bananas and pulses with a share of 46.5 percent ;
    b.  Meat and Other Parts of Slaughtered Land Animals with a share of 32.4 percent; and
    c.  Fish and Other Seafood with a share of 14.7 percent.

(SGD)
MAGDALENA T. SERQUEÑA
Chief Statistical Specialist