The inflation rate for the bottom 30% income households in Lucena City was recorded at zero percent in June 2025 from 1.6 percent in May 2025. This brings the average inflation rate for this income group from January to June 2025 to 2.4 percent. In June 2024, the inflation rate was higher at 7.5 percent.

The deceleration in inflation for the bottom 30% income households in June 2025 was mainly due to the lower annual increase in the index of the heavily weighted food and non-alcoholic beverages which posted 0.5 percent during the month, down from 2.2 percent in May 2025. The index of housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels also contributed to the downtrend, recording an inflation rate of -3.9 percent in June 2025, from 0.7 percent in the previous month.

On the contrary, higher annual increments were observed in the indices of the following commodity groups during the month: 
a. Alcoholic beverages and tobacco at 3.3 percent, from 3.0 percent;  
b. Transport at -1.2 percent, from -1.5 percent;  
c. Recreation, sport and culture at 0.6 percent, from 0.5 percent; and 
d. Personal care, and miscellaneous goods and services at 0.6 percent, from 0.5 percent.

Meanwhile, the following commodity groups retained their previous month’s inflation rates: 
a. Clothing and footwear at 0.3 percent; 
b. Furnishings, household equipment and routine household maintenance at 1.1 percent; 
c. Health at 0.3 percent; 
d. Information and communication at 0.0 percent; 
e. Education services at 1.5 percent;  
f. Restaurants and accommodation services at 2.3; and  
g. Financial services at 0.0 percent.

Food inflation for the bottom 30% income households in Lucena City eased to 0.5 percent in June 2025, from 2.4 percent in May 2025. In June 2024, food inflation was higher at 10.9 percent.

The slowdown in food inflation was primarily attributed to the lower annual increment in the index of vegetables, tubers, plantains, cooking bananas and pulses, which dropped to -5.5 percent during the month from 10.0 percent in May 2025.

Also contributing to the downtrend in food inflation were the lower annual growth rates in the indices of the following food groups during the month: 
a. Rice at -16.6 pecent, from -14.4 percent; 
b. Fish and other seafood at 5.6 percent, from 11.2 percent; and 
c. Milk, other dairy products and eggs at 8.1 percent, from 8.9 percent.

In contrast, the following food groups recorded higher annual increments during the month: 
a. Corn at 22.9 percent, from -2.4 percent;  
b. Flour, bread and other bakery products, pasta products, and other cereals at       0.5 percent, from 0.4 percent; 
c. Meat and other parts of slaughtered land animals at 15.1 percent,                           from 12.7 percent; 
d. Oils and fats at 63.5 percent, from 58.3 percent; 
e. Fruits and nuts at 20.8 percent, from 12.4 percent; 
f. Sugar, confectionery and desserts at -2.1 percent, from -2.2 percent; and 
g. Ready-made food and other food products not elsewhere classified at 2.8 percent, from 2.3 percent.

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

NDP/SCNG