The headline inflation or overall inflation in Lucena City eased to 4.7 percent in August 2024, from 5.2 percent in July 2024. This brings the average inflation rate of the city from January to August 2024 to 3.8 percent. In August 2023, inflation rate was lower at 3.2 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 3.9 percent during the month, from an annual increase of 8.1 percent in July 2024.

Moreover, lower inflation rates were noted in the following commodity groups: 
a. Alcoholic beverages and tobacco at 4.6 percent, from 5.3 percent; 
b. Transport at 3.3 percent, from 7.2 percent; 
c. Recreation, sport and culture at 0.6 percent, from 2.6 percent; 
d. Education services at 2.2 percent, from 8.0 percent; 
e. Restaurants and accommodation services at 3.3 percent, from 4.4 percent; and 
f. Personal care, and miscellaneous goods and services at 3.7 percent; from 3.8 percent.

In contrast, higher inflation rate during the month was noted in the index of housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels at 11.9 percent from inflation rate of 3.6 percent in the previous month.

Meanwhile, the following commodity groups retained their previous month’s inflation: 
a. Clothing and footwear at 0.9 percent; 
b. Furnishings, household equipment and routine household maintenance at 0.7 percent; 
c. Health at -0.4 percent; 
d. Information and communication at 0.3 percent; and 
e. Financial services at 0.0 percent.

Food inflation in Lucena City eased to 4.1 percent in August 2024, from 8.7 percent in July 2024. In August 2023, food inflation was higher at 4.8 percent.

The deceleration of food inflation was primarily brought about by the lower inflation rate of rice at 14.0 percent in August 2024, from 24.7 percent in the previous month.

Other contributing factors to the decrease 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 3.7 percent, from 3.8 percent; 
b. Meat and other parts of slaughtered land animals at 4.2 percent, from 6.3 percent; 
c. Fish and other seafood at -3.3 percent, from 5.0 percent; 
d. Fruits and nuts at 18.3 percent, from 19.6 percent; 
e. Vegetables, tubers, plantains, cooking bananas and pulses at -4.2 percent, from 3.4 percent; 
f. Sugar, confectionery and desserts at -0.7 percent, from -0.6 percent; and 
g. Ready-made food and other food products n.e.c. at 3.8 percent, from 5.3 percent.

In contrast, milk, other dairy products and eggs registered higher inflation rate at 1.2 percent during the month from 0.9 percent in the previous month.

Meanwhile, food groups of corn, and oil and fats retained its previous month’s inflation at 31.8 percent and -5.2 percent, respectively.

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

NDP/IJCA/EAD