The headline inflation or overall inflation in Lucena City eased to 4.4 percent in May 2024, from 4.5 percent in April 2024. This brings the city’s average inflation from January 2024 to May 2024 to 3.1 percent. In May 2023, inflation rate was higher at 5.2 percent.

The deceleration in the inflation rate of Lucena City was primarily influenced by the lower annual increase of the heavily-weighted food and non-alcoholic beverages at 5.6 percent during the month, from 6.9 percent in April 2024. The lower year-on-year increase in the index of clothing and footwear at 0.9 percent in May 2024, from 1.0 percent in the previous month also contributed to the slowdown in the overall inflation.  

In contrast, higher inflation rates were noted in the commodity groups of housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels at 4.4 percent in May 2024, from 3.1 percent in the previous month; and transport at 6.5 percent during the month, from 5.6 percent in April 2024.

Meanwhile, the following commodity groups retained their previous month’s inflation: 
a. Alcoholic beverages and tobacco at 5.3 percent; 
b. Furnishings, household equipment and routine household maintenance at 0.7 percent; 
c. Health at -0.3 percent; 
d. Information and communication at 0.3 percent; 
e. Recreation, sport and culture at 2.6 percent; 
f. Education services at 5.6 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 decreased to 5.9 percent in May 2024, from 7.3 percent in April 2024. In May 2023, food inflation was lower at 3.6 percent.

The slowdown in the food inflation in May 2024 was primarily brought about by the annual decrease in the index of vegetables, tubers, plantains, cooking bananas and pulses at 0.4 percent, from an annual increase of 13.9 percent in the previous month. It was followed by the lower year-on-year increment in the index of fish and other seafood at 3.4 percent during the month, from an annual increase of 6.1 percent in April 2024.

Other contributing factors in the decrement of food inflation in the city were the lower inflation rates of the following food groups during the month: 
a. Flour, bread and other bakery products, pasta products, and other cereals at 3.8 percent, from 3.9 percent; and 
b. Fruits and nuts at 2.1 percent, from 8.9 percent.

In contrast, the inflation of the following food groups increased during the month: 
a. Rice at 25.1 percent, from 24.3 percent; 
b. Corn at 24.9 percent, from 21.1 percent; 
c. Meat and other parts of slaughtered land animals at 1.1 percent, from 0.9 percent; 
d. Milk, other dairy products and eggs at 0.7 percent, from -2.0 percent; and 
e. Oils and fats at -9.6 percent, from -10.0 percent.

Meanwhile, the following food groups retained its previous month’s inflation: 
a. Sugar, confectionery and desserts at -0.6 percent; and 
b. Ready-made food and other food products not elsewhere classified at 3.3 percent.

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

NDP/IJCA/EAD