For February 2025, the inflation rate (IR) in CALABARZON decelerated to 2.1 percent, 1.0 percentage point less than the previous month’s inflation rate. This was due to the deceleration in the inflation rates of all province and highly urbanized city in CALABARZON. Moreover, Cavite recorded the lowest inflation rate at 1.4 percent (refer to Table A).

The headline inflation rate in CALABARZON exhibited a lower rate compared to the IR in February 2024 which was recorded at 3.3 percent. From March 2024 (3.7 percent) to June 2024 (3.3 percent), the trend showed a downward movement. Inflation then peaked at 4.0 percent in July, the highest inflation recorded for 2024. It dropped to 1.8 percent by September, and slightly increased every month until reaching 3.3 percent by December 2024. By January 2025, it decreased again at 3.1 percent and further decline to 2.1 percent in February 2025. 

The decrease in the region’s inflation this month was mainly brought about by the slower rate of food and non-alcoholic beverages at 4.0 percent, from 5.3 percent in January 2025. In addition, the following commodity groups experienced slower inflation rate in February 2025:
a. Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels at -0.3 percent;
b. Restaurants and Accommodation Services at 2.7 percent;
c. Transport at -0.2 percent;
d. Clothing and Footwear at 2.7 percent;
e. Furnishings, Household Equipment and Routine Household Maintenance at 2.3 percent;
f. Personal Care and Miscellaneous Goods and Services at 2.4 percent;
g. Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco at 2.6 percent; and
h. Health at 2.9 percent;

In contrast, the commodity group Recreation, Sport and Culture experienced faster inflation rate in February 2025 at 2.3 percent. The remaining three commodities (Information and Communication, Education Services, and Financial Services) retained its previous month’s inflation rate as shown in Table B.

A slower increase in prices was recorded for food items from 5.6 percent in January 2025 to 3.9 percent in February 2025 (Table C).

The primary contributor to the slower inflation rate of the food group is the vegetables, tubers, plantains, cooking bananas and pulses, with an inflation rate of 7.6 percent, from 31.4 percent in January 2025. Meanwhile, the rice had a decrease in price by 0.8 percent. However, corn price increased by 16.4 percent during the month.

For non-alcoholic beverages, it retained its inflation rate at 2.7 percent. Overall, food and non-alcoholic beverages had a faster price increase compared to the same month of the previous year from 2.4 percent in 2024 to 4.0 percent in 2025.

(SGD.)
CHARITO C. ARMONIA
Regional Director

COB/JAS/JRM