The headline inflation or overall inflation in Lucena City increased to 2.2 percent in February 2024, from 1.4 percent in January 2024. This brings the city’s average inflation from January 2024 to February 2024 at 1.8 percent. In February 2023, inflation rate was higher at 8.2 percent.

The acceleration in the inflation rate of Lucena City was primarily influenced by the annual increase of the heavily-weighted food and non-alcoholic beverages at 0.7 percent during the month, from an annual decline of 3.8 percent in January 2024. The higher year-on-year increase in transport at 3.1 percent in February 2024, from 0.8 percent in the previous month also contributed to the uptrend.

Also contributing to the increase in the overall inflation were the higher annual increments in the indices of the following commodity groups during the month: 
a. Furnishings, household equipment and routine household maintenance at 0.7 percent, from 0.5 percent; and 
b. Information and communication at 0.3 percent, from 0.0 percent.

In contrast, the following seven commodity groups registered lower inflation rates during the month: 
a. Alcoholic beverages and tobacco at 5.3 percent, from 5.5 percent; 
b. Clothing and footwear at 1.1 percent; from 1.3 percent; 
c. Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels at 2.6 percent, from 4.8 percent; 
d. Health at -0.3 percent, from 0.1 percent; 
e. Recreation, sport and culture at 2.6 percent, from 3.3 percent; 
f. Restaurants and accommodation services at 4.4 percent, from 8.2 percent; and 
g. Personal care, and miscellaneous goods and services at 3.8 percent, from 4.3 percent.

Meanwhile, the following commodity groups retained their previous month’s inflation: 
a. Education services at 5.6 percent; and 
b. Financial services at 0.0 percent.

Food inflation in Lucena City rose to 0.5 percent in February 2024, from 4.3 percent annual decrement in January 2024. In February 2023, food inflation was higher at 8.6 percent.

The upward movement in the food inflation in February 2024 was primarily brought about by the slower annual decline in the index of vegetables, tubers, plantains, cooking bananas and pulses at 6.7 percent in February 2024, from 35.3 percent annual decrease in the previous month. The higher year-on-year increment in the index of rice at 10.4 percent during the month, from 7.8 percent in the previous month also contributed in the uptrend of food inflation.

Moreover, 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. Corn at 4.2 percent, from -0.6 percent; 
b. Flour, bread and other bakery products, pasta products, and other cereals at 4.0 percent, from 3.8 percent; 
c. Meat and other parts of slaughtered land animals at -2.2 percent, from -4.2 percent; 
d. Fruits and nuts at 14.0 percent, from 5.0 percent; and 
e. Ready-made food and other food products not elsewhere classified at 2.9 percent, from 2.5 percent.

In contrast, the inflation of the following food groups decreased during the month: 
a. Fish and other seafood at -5.7 percent, from -4.7 percent;  
b. Milk, other dairy products and eggs at -1.9 percent, from 0.8 percent; 
c. Oils and fats at -9.8 percent, from -9.3 percent; and 
d. Sugar, confectionery and desserts at -0.6 percent, from 0.0 percent.

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

NDP/IJCA/EAD