The headline inflation or overall inflation in Quezon eased to 5.1 percent in August 2024, from 5.7 percent in July 2024. This brings the average inflation rate of the province from January to August 2024 to 3.5 percent. In August 2023, inflation rate was lower at 2.9 percent.

The downtrend in the overall inflation in August 2024 was primarily brought about by the slower annual increment in the heavily-weighted food and non-alcoholic beverages at 6.7 percent during the month, from an annual increase of 9.7 percent in July 2024.

Lower annual increments were also noted in the indices of the following commodity groups during the month: 
a. Alcoholic beverages and tobacco, at 5.6 percent from 7.0 percent; 
b. Clothing and footwear, at 0.9 percent from 1.0 percent; 
c. Furnishings, household equipment and routine household maintenance at 0.7 percent from 1.1 percent; 
d. Health at 0.1 percent, from 0.2 percent; 
e. Transport at 2.8 percent, from 7.2 percent; 
f. Recreation, sport and culture at 0.6 percent, from 3.5 percent; 
g. Education services at 3.0 percent, from 9.0 percent; 
h. Restaurants and accommodation services at 2.2 percent from 2.8 percent; and 
i. Personal care, and miscellaneous goods and services at 2.3 percent, from 2.4 percent. 

On the contrary, the following commodity groups exhibited a higher annual increase during the month: 
a. Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels at 9.2 percent, from 1.5 percent; and 
b. Information and communication at 0.4 percent, from 0.3 percent.

Meanwhile, financial services at -0.1 percent retained it’s previous month’s annual rate.

Food inflation in the province eased to 7.0 percent in August 2024, from 10.3 percent in July 2024. In August 2023, food inflation was lower at 4.5 percent.

The deceleration of food inflation was primarily brought about by the lower inflation rate of rice at 19.2 percent in August 2024, from 27.1 percent in the previous month.  

Moreover, lower inflation rates during the month were also noted in the following food groups: 
a. Flour, bread and other bakery products, pasta products, and other cereals at 3.1 percent, from 3.2 percent; 
b. Meat and other parts of slaughtered land animals at 6.3 percent, from 7.0 percent; 
c. Fish and other seafood at 0.3 percent, from 8.4 percent; 
d. Vegetables, tubers, plantains, cooking bananas and pulses at 1.1 percent, from 1.5 percent; 
e. Sugar, confectionery and desserts at -2.8 percent, from -2.7 percent; and 
f. Ready-made food and other food products not elsewhere classified at 1.9 percent, from 2.1 percent

In contrast, the following food groups registered higher inflation rates during the month: 
a. Milk, other dairy products and eggs at 0.8 percent, from 0.6 percent; and 
b. Fruits and nuts at 22.4 percent, from 19.9 percent.

Meanwhile, the indices of corn; and oils and fats retained their previous month’s annual rates of 36.6 percent and -3.2 percent, respectively.

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

NDP/IJCA/EAD