For January 2025, the inflation rate (IR) in CALABARZON decelerated to 3.1 percent, 0.2 percentage point less than the previous month’s inflation rate. This was due to the deceleration in the inflation rates of Batangas, Laguna, and Rizal. Meanwhile, the areas of Cavite, Lucena City, and Quezon recorded an acceleration in their inflation rates (refer to Table A).

The headline inflation rate in CALABARZON exhibited a higher rate compared to the IR in January 2024 which was recorded at 2.0 percent. From January to March 2024 (3.7 percent), the trend showed an upward movement. Inflation then gradually declined each month until June 2024 with 3.3 percent. It peaked at 4.0 percent in July, the highest inflation recorded for 2024. It dropped to 1.8 percent by September, and slightly increases every month until reaching 3.3 percent by December 2024. By January 2025, it decreased again at 3.1 percent.  

The decrease in the region’s inflation this month was mainly brought about by the slower rate of housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels at 0.8 percent, from 2.6 percent in December 2024. In addition, the following commodity groups experienced slower inflation rate in January 2025:
a. Restaurants and Accommodation Services at 4.4 percent
b. Personal Care and Miscellaneous Goods and Services at 2.5 percent;
c. Furnishings, Household Equipment and Routine Household Maintenance at 2.9 percent;
d. Clothing and Footwear at 3.4 percent; and
e. Recreation, Sport and Culture at 1.9 percent.

In contrast, the following groups experienced faster inflations rates in January 2025:
a. Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages at 5.3 percent;
b. Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco at 2.8 percent;
c. Health at 3.0 percent;
d. Transport at 0.8 percent; and
e. Financial Services at 0.0 percent.

The remaining commodities retained its previous month’s inflation rate as shown in Table B.

A faster increase in prices was recorded for food items from 4.7 percent in December 2024 to 5.6 percent in January 2025 (Table C).

The primary contributor to the faster inflation rate of the food group is the vegetables, tubers, plantains, cooking bananas and pulses, with an inflation rate of 31.4 percent, from 19.6 percent in December 2024. Meanwhile, the price increase of rice slowed down to 0.2 percent. However, corn price increased by 13.6 percent during the month.

For non-alcoholic beverages, its inflation rate decelerated to 2.7 percent for January 2025. Overall, food and non-alcoholic beverages had a faster price increase compared to the same month of the previous year from 0.1 percent in 2024 to 5.3 percent in 2025.

(SGD.)
CHARITO C. ARMONIA
Regional Director

COB/JAS/JRM