The headline inflation or overall inflation in Lucena City increased to 5.2 percent in July 2024, from 4.9 percent in June 2024. This brings the average inflation rate of the city from January to July 2024 to 3.6 percent. In July 2023, inflation rate was lower at 2.5 percent.

The uptrend in the overall inflation in July 2024 was primarily influenced by the higher year-on-year increase in the heavily-weighted food and non-alcoholic beverages at 8.1 percent during the month, from an annual increase of 7.6 percent in June 2024.

Moreover, higher inflation rates during the month were also noted in the indices of transport at 7.2 percent and education services at 8.0 percent from their respective inflation rates of 5.8 percent and 5.6 percent in the previous month.

In contrast, among the 13 commodity groups, only housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels recorded lower inflation rate at 3.6 percent during the month, from 4.2 percent in the previous month.

Meanwhile, the following commodity groups retained their previous month’s inflation:

    a.    Alcoholic beverages and tobacco at 5.3 percent;     
    b.    Clothing and footwear at 0.9 percent;     
    c.    Furnishings, household equipment and routine household maintenance at 0.7 percent;     
    d.    Health at -0.4 percent;     
    e.    Information and communication at 0.3 percent;     
    f.    Recreation, sport and culture at 2.6 percent;     
    g.    Restaurants and accommodation services at 4.4 percent;     
    h.    Financial services at 0.0 percent; and     
    i.    Personal care, and miscellaneous goods and services at 3.8 percent.

Food inflation in Lucena City further increased to 8.7 percent in July 2024, from 8.1 percent in June 2024. In July 2023, food inflation was lower at 2.6 percent.

The upward movement in the food inflation in July 2024 was primarily brought about by the higher increase in the index of meat and other parts of slaughtered land animals at 6.3 percent, from an annual increase of 2.0 percent in the previous month.

Other contributing factors in the increment of food inflation in the city were the higher inflation rates of the following food groups during the month:     
    a.    Milk, other dairy products and eggs at 0.9 percent, from 0.6 percent;     
    b.    Oils and fats at -5.2 percent, from -9.6 percent;      
    c.    Fruits and nuts at 19.6 percent, from 2.1 percent; and     
    d.    Ready-made food and other food products not elsewhere classified at 5.3 percent, from 3.4 percent.

In contrast, the inflation of the following food groups decreased during the month:

    a.    Rice at 24.7 percent, from 24.9 percent;      
    b.    Corn at 31.8 percent, from 35.8 percent;      
    c.    Fish and other seafood at 5.0 percent, from 8.9 percent; and     
    d.    Vegetables, tubers, plantains, cooking bananas and pulses at 3.4 percent, from 13.3 percent.

Meanwhile, the following food groups retained its previous month’s inflation:     
    a.    Flour, bread and other bakery products, pasta products, and other cereals at 3.8 percent; and     
    b.    Sugar, confectionery and desserts at -0.6 percent.

(SGD.) AIRENE A. PUCYUTAN     
Provincial Statistics Officer     
PSA Quezon

NDP/IJCA/EAD